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900 Pounds of Pot Found At Home

News Channel 8 photo by CHRIS HODGES

Hillsborough County sheriffs found more than 900 pounds of pot at the home.

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 17, 2008

Updated: 02/17/2008 09:14 pm

Evon Falconer

PLANT CITY - Three men were arrested Sunday, and about 900 pounds of marijuana was seized after Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputies served a search warrant at a ranch-style home north of Plant City.

Arrested at 4541 Keene Road were Evon Falconer, 27, who lives at the house, and Vidal Espinoza, 25, and Marc Witkowski, 27, both of Tucson, Ariz. The three men were each arrested on charges of trafficking marijuana and conspiracy to traffic marijuana, said Lt. Steve Launikitis of the sheriff office's narcotics division.

Espinoza and Witkowski are accused of transporting the drugs from Arizona to Florida in a horse trailer. A 4-year-old brown mare was used for cover, and the marijuana, with a value of nearly $1 million, was stashed in the trailer with the horse, Launikitis said.

Marc Witkowski

"That's a lot of dope," Launikitis said. "It impacted somebody greatly in the pocket."

An off-duty deputy saw the pot being moved from the house into a U-Haul truck about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. The sheriff's office served the search warrant on the house about nine hours later.

Anne Marie Svensson, whose daughter lives on Keene Road and visits her frequently, said Falconer seemed to be a "very friendly neighbor" who kept to himself.

"We thought it was good people," Svensson said.

Vidal Espinoza

The owner of the house at 4541 Keene Road is listed as a Kenisha C. Lewinson, according to county property appraiser's records. It is unknown if Falconer was renting the home or if he just lived there, Launikitis said.

Falconer, Espinoza and Witkowski were being held Sunday without bail at the Orient Road Jail.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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