READING, Pa. - One of two men found at the site of an illegal marijuana grow operation on state game lands in Berks County has been charged.
David Brook Light, 54, of Sinking Spring, was arraigned Monday night on a number of felony and misdemeanor drug charges as well as criminal trespass. He was freed on $25,000 unsecured bail.
Light's arrest followed the discovery by Pennsylvania Game Commission maintenance workers of a marijuana grow operation on state game lands in Penn Township, near Bernville, late Monday morning.
"The location itself is very remote, as far as traffic," said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm, a public information officer for Reading-based Troop L.
The workers called police, who responded and arrested Light after a brief foot chase; the other man, identified as Gregory A. Longenecker, got away, setting off a ground and air search of the heavily wooded area.
Longenecker, 51, of Reading, was found after being run over by a bulldozer that police were using in their search of thick underbrush. He died at the scene.
Light later admitted to police that he was there to prune the leaves of the marijuana plants, according to court documents released Tuesday morning.
"I don't know what their connection is," Beohm said of the two men. "I mean, they were both back there at that location, so you could surmise that they were farming or cultivating the 10 marijuana plants."
In addition to the 10 plants, which were enclosed by chicken wire fencing, police said they found several watering bottles, pruning shears, liquid fertilizer, starter plants, and a bucket containing leaves that were removed from the plants.
"Had that guy not been back there with the bulldozer yesterday, those 10 plants could still be planted back there and we would never know about it," Beohm said. "If you see something that seems odd, that some guy's carrying a five-gallon bucket of water along a very back, desolate-type road up into the woods, absolutely call the police."
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Chad Blimline | 69 News 
Chad Blimline | 69 News 
Chad Blimline | 69 News 
Chad Blimline | 69 News 
