Havre man pleads guilty of pot-growing operation

A man accused of growing more than 30 marijuana plants in a North Havre home has pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge.

Richard W. Mysse, 34, of Havre pleaded guilty to criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs during a hearing in state District Court. Felony charges of theft and criminal possession of property subject to forfeiture were dismissed as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors.

He was freed without bond until sentencing, which is set for Oct. 21.

Mysse was arrested July 11 after agents from the Tri-Agency Task Force raided an east end and a North Havre home July 4.

Agents with Tri-Agency Task Force obtained search warrants for a house on River Road in Hill County and in the 1300 block of Fourth Street in Havre after interviewing a man who claimed he could lead them to a drug bust.

According to the charging document, the man had called the Hill County Sheriff's Office July 3 to report that he and Mysse had an argument over some property and that a physical altercation had ensued. He told deputies he could show them where Mysse was growing marijuana, the document said.

The man told deputies he had seen about 30 marijuana plants in the basement of a house on River Road, and that he knew Mysse also grew plants in the basement of another residence in Havre, according to the charging document.

Deputies contacted the Tri-Agency Task Force. On July 4, task force agents served a search warrant at the property on River Road. According to the criminal complaint, officers found a marijuana grow room in the northeast corner of the basement.

"A total of 31 live marijuana plants were seized," the complaint said. "The plants were surrounded with white styrofoam sheeting. Within the grow area were several large lights used for artificial sunlight, electric power converters, electric timers, fertilizer, pruning sheers, rubber gloves, 5-gallon buckets, an electric fan, and small starter flower pots and potting soil. The lights were on at the time of entry, the plants were live and growing, and included large buds."

Police seized the rubber gloves as well as some cigarette butts found at the scene for DNA analysis. A generator, air compressor, chipper/shredder, and a drive shaft were also seized. The drive shaft matched the description of one that had been stolen from the Tilleman Motor Co., the complaint said, resulting in the charge of theft by obtaining control over stolen property.

A second search warrant was served at Mysse's residence in the 1300 block of Fourth Street in Havre. In the basement of the house police found fertilizer, fluorescent lights, spray bottles, starter pots, and marijuana residue, according to the criminal complaint.

Task Force agent Jerry Nystrom estimated the street value