11 pot plants, 22 jars of weed seized from Grundy County home

Grundy County and state officials patrolling from the air for marijuana spotted 11 growing on an Altamont, Tenn., home's back porch and later found 22 jars of processed weed inside.

Chief Deputy Tony Bean said Wednesday that crews in a helicopter from the Governor's Marijuana Eradication Task Force spied the suspicious plants Monday while flying over the rural countryside along Tennessee Highway 50 between Altamont and Pelham.

"There were 11 plants, ranging from 4- to 6-feet tall," Bean said.

Bean said officers contacted the resident, Camberley, Keatts, 59, of the 13000 block of Highway 50, answered the door and officers could see a jar containing marijuana in plain sight.

Authorities seized 22 jars of suspected marijuana that had been processed for storage, he said.

Keatts has not yet been charged, Bean said. The chief deputy said the case will be presented to the grand jury seeking charges of manufacturing and cultivating marijuana and felony possession of marijuana.

Bean said Keatts allegedly told officers she grew the weed for her own use and simply enjoyed smoking it.

Bean, a longtime narcotics officer, said he hadn't seen anyone using jars for storage before.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.

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