Coventry Family Found Guilty of Turning House into Pot Farm

A mom, dad and son who turned a Coventry house into a large-scale marijuana grow operation were found guilty of multiple drug-related charges today by a jury after two-and-a-half days of deliberation in a trial in Kent County Superior Court.

Yvonne, 38; John O’Clair Sr., 41; and John O’Clair Jr., 20; were found guilty of possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of 1 to 5 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to violate the Uniformed Controlled Substances Act.

Over the course of the five-day trial, prosecutors showed evidence that the three family members had turned the house at 10 Marion Drive into a busy pot operation. Coventry police on Oct. 10 of 2013 executed a search warrant and seized eight pounds of marijuana, marijuana candy, marijuana oil, 31 mature plants and 50 seedlings.

The family was living in the house and were within the legal limits for seedlings and mature plants under state law for people with medical marijuana ID cards. But the eight pounds of processed pot exceeded the usable marijuana allowed under the Edward O. Hawkins and Tomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin said in a statement.

All three remain out on bail pending sentencing, which is scheduled for June 23. Coventry Police Detective Sergeant Matthew Blair and Detective Ryan Desisto led the investigation. Special Assistant Attorney General Timothy Healy prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.

The most recent address for the O’Clairs is on Highland Avenue in Westerly, according to court records.