Lenoir County deputies find pot growing in buried school bus

Multiple media outlets reported Thursday that the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office had looked for the source of the marijuana for three years and had been flying over the area with a helicopter.

Then sheriff's narcotics officers bought several pounds of pot in a recent undercover buy. Sgt. Eddie Eubanks says officers traced the pot to 2179 N.C. Highway 58 South in Kinston.

A search dog fell through a camouflaged trap door leading down to a full-length school bus buried eight feet under a backyard tool shed.

Deputies seized 68 plants, each 4 feet tall and weighing about 35 pounds. Eubanks says the plants were worth about $40,000.

Lensey Ray Dail Sr., 52, of 2179 N.C. Highway 58 South, is charged with conspiracy to traffic marijuana, attempting to traffic marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to produce marijuana, trafficking marijuana by possession, trafficking marijuana by manufacture, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana and conspiracy to sell and deliver.

Dail was being held under $130,000 bond in the Lenoir County jail on Friday.

Desiz Farris Dail, 36, also of 2179 N.C. Highway 58 South, is charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver, conspiracy to sell and deliver, attempting to traffic, sell and deliver marijuana, and maintaining a dwelling to produce marijuana. She is currently out on bond.

Jerome Murrell, 35, 393 Oakdale Drive, is charged with trafficking by manufacture of marijuana, trafficking by possession of marijuana, conspiracy to traffic marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver, sell and deliver of marijuana and maintaining a vehicle for selling and delivering.

Murrell was being held under $80,000 bond in the Lenoir County jail Friday.