Marijuana Farm Uncovered By Franklin Police: Reports

FRANKLIN, WI — Milwaukee County Court documents pulled by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other news outlets show that thousands of marijuana plants were recently found at a grow operation in Franklin.

The growing operation, which is still under investigation by the Franklin Police Department, has so far been delivered two citations related to the operation: a small farm off 116th Street that police records show had at least six greenhouses, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote in its report.

Franklin Mayor Steve Olson told the Journal Sentinel the lack of higher criminal prosecution for the plants from the state or district attorney is them "not doing their job, plain and simple." Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern told the Journal Sentinel the police department has not yet requested criminal charges, though.

Read more on this story: Samantha Hendrickson's report for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

According to affidavits uncovered by the report, police first uncovered the property in July of 2021. Through informants and surveillance, police managed to eventually execute a search warrant on the property on Sept. 8, the Journal Sentinel's report said.

The allegation that the thousands of plants were marijuana, and the subsequent citations further asserting that, was apparently news to the person who owned the property containing the greenhouses.

In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, the landowner said the crop was hemp — a regulated, but legal cannabis plant, and that he was merely leasing the land to other people.

Read more on this story: Samantha Hendrickson's report for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.