VERDUNVILLE - Sheriff’s deputies in St. Mary Parish say they arrested a man and disassembled an illegal marijuana grow operation over the weekend.

64-year-old Charles Adams, Jr., of Verdunville, was arrested Sunday night and booked on charges of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS and transactions involving drug proceeds.

Deputies said they were conducting a follow-up investigation in the 1200 block of Prairie Circle Road when they smelled the strong odor of raw marijuana coming from a shed on the property.

Investigators said they made contact with the residence’s owner, Adams, who also emitted the strong odor of marijuana. After receiving consent to search the shed, deputies said they located a marijuana growing operation.

Among the components of the operation were 53 live high-grade marijuana plants, lights, fans and drying racks. Deputies said they also located loose marijuana and marijuana plant clippings in another room inside the shed.

Adam would later admit to deputies that he also had marijuana in the bedroom inside his residence. When deputies searched the bedroom, they found multiple containers of marijuana, a handgun and $800 in cash. They also located several items of pot-related paraphernalia including a scale, pipes, small plastic bags and rolling papers.

Narcotics detectives assisted patrol deputies during the investigation, estimating the street value of the marijuana to be roughly $30,000.

Adams was booked into the St. Mary Parish Jail and was later released after he posted a $23,000 property bond.