Man was operating an indoor drug farm at his home, authorities said.
SOMERVILLE - A Warren Township man who operated an indoor drug farm at his home and was arrested with more than 100 pounds of marijuana in his possession was sentenced to 10 years in state prison Monday in Somerset County Superior Court.
Kai Peter (Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)Under terms of a plea agreement, Kai Peter, 35, must serve 36 months before being eligible for parole.
Watchung-based attorney Michael Mitzer, who represented Peter, argued that his client wasn't distributing hard-core drugs "that are killing people," and pointed out that marijuana is legal in some states. He asked that his client's sentence be reduced to a maximum of five years. It was Peter's first indictable offense.
Prior to his sentencing, Peter told the court that he made a "huge mistake" and "feels horrible."
Superior Court Judge Robert A. Ballard rejected the argument, saying: "This wasn't a mistake. This was a production. This wasn't a one-day event. If a confidential informant hadn't alerted authorities to your activities, you would probably still be manufacturing the drug."
Assistant Prosecutor Jamin Cooper handled the case for the state. She said that although marijuana is legal in some states, it's not legal to be in manufacture and distribute 100 pounds.
N.J. man in possession of $1.2M in drugs
Peter, who was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody, plead guilty in January to first-degree maintaining or operating a controlled dangerous substance production facility, first-degree possession of more than 25 pounds of marijuana with the intention to distribute and second-degree possession of less than five pounds of hashish.
Charges of second-degree possession of a firearm while committing a drug offense and third-degree possession of psilocybin mushrooms were dismissed, as was a disorderly persons charge.
During a March, 16, 2016, raid on Peter's Mount Horeb Road, authorities found more than 100 pounds of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, four-and-a-half pounds of hashish, three pounds of hashish candy and $20,637 in cash, it was previously reported.
According to police, the marijuana had a street value of $477,000, the hashish was worth $112,500 and the psilocybin mushrooms had an estimated value of $90,000.
Peter had a growing and packaging area for marijuana and hashish in the basement of his home that included a heat sealer, heat sealer bags, scales, artificial lighting, grow pots, hygrometer, grinder, fans, gloves, mason jars, flexible duct work and filters. The residence is also equipped with an air filtration system, the prosecution said.
Authorities also said the residence contained an indoor growing area for psilocybin mushrooms, as well as a refrigerator containing psilocybin mushroom seeds. Police also recovered a Mossberg .22-calibre long rifle.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.