Woman growing marijuana to "be ahead of the competition" | News

An unlicensed daycare in the 7800 block of E. Buckeye was targeted by a search warrant Thursday morning and the owner arrested after 58 marijuana plants were found in the residence.

Tina Mae Jones, 35, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and manufacturing marijuana after the pot plants were pulled from her basement.

Her arrest comes at the end of a yearlong investigation after high school students tipped police off to her activities to School Resource Deputy Ed Cashman, who arrested several students for marijuana possession at West Valley High School during the 2011-2012 school year.

video Those students, in turn, told Cashman where they had bought the marijuana from.

Jones was allegedly running an unlicensed daycare out of her home at 7820 E. Buckeye as well as growing marijuana. Spokane County Sheriff's deputies seized 58 pot plants Thursday morning from her home.

According to deputies, Jones said she was selling marijuana to high school kids because she "thought they would do harder drugs." Jones also reportedly thought that marijuana would be legalized soon so she wanted to "be ahead of the competition."

"She was under the assumption that marijuana is going to be legalized in the very near future so she wanted to get a jump-start on it, which was why she was growing the 58 plants," Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy Craig Chamberlin said.

There were three children in Jones' daycare when deputies arrived to serve a search warrant on the home. Those children, who Jones said she was watching for friends, were returned to their parents.

Sheriff's deputies say more charges may be on the way for Jones, while the state will address Jones running an unlicensed daycare.