Johnston Man Pleads Guilty to Massive Marijuana Growing Operation

A Johnston man pleaded guilty to running a marijuana growing operation in Des Moines federal court on Thursday.

Timothy Lantz confirmed in federal court that he was growing more than 550 marijuana plants when officers raided his home in September, KCCI News Channel 8 reported.

Lantz faces a minimum of five years in prison when sentenced in May.

According to court documents, agents were first alerted to the growing operation in November 2010, after a manager at a storage unit northeast of Des Moines found growing materials including 500 plastic posts and 40 Harvest Pro 600 Watt inverters, the Register reported.

Detectives then tracked the names on the lease to a Facebook page showing a man holding marijuana plants. The same man was also linked to a second house searched at 7212 Longboat Drive.

Court documents revealed authorities removed roughly 150 small marijuana plants and 400 potted plants from the home at 7323 Longboat.

KCCI.com reports a neighbor tipped Johnston Police to the house in April 2012 regarding a suspicious activity.