Former Fire Chief Arrested In Drug Raid

Former Fire Chief Arrested In Drug Raid
Police: $1 Million Worth Of Marijuana Found

Local6 News Florida

A former fire chief in Osceola County, Fla., was arrested Sunday after a tip led police to the discovery of a $1 million drug operation on the man's property, according to Local 6 News.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office received a Crimeline tip Sunday regarding possible illegal drug activity at 11450 Broadstream Drive in St. Cloud.

When officers investigated, they said they found a highly sophisticated drug operation at Jeffrey Hall's home, according to Local 6 News.

Hall was renting the home to former firefighter Paul Hersch, Local 6 News reported.

During the raid, agents confiscated 460 marijuana plants, 18 pounds of finished marijuana and several grow rooms with watering and high tech lighting systems to aid in the production of the drug, according to a sheriff's department release.


The type of marijuana recovered was "crippy" marijuana which is a type of cannabis that has an increased THC content and brings in a higher street value, the release said.

"If we had not received the Crimeline tip we would not have found out about this any time soon," Osceola County sheriff's spokeswoman Twis Lizasuain said. "They went as far as purchasing a generator with the approximate value of $23,000 so they were not even using electricity out there."

Police told Local 6 News that Hall and Hersch confessed that they had been growing and selling the marijuana since 2001.

Hall was charged with three felonies, including drug trafficking. Hersch had not been charged Sunday night, Local 6 News reported.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.