Jackson County authorities arrested five members of the same family this week in an investigation they say uncovered a marijuana grow operation in Hoschton.
Four of the arrests were made Wednesday and one on Friday, according to a media release from Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum.
The charges stem from what Mangum termed as a lengthy investigation.
"Investigators conducted a search warrant on the Hoschton residence and located 28 marijuana plants in a grow room along with other quantities of marijuana within the residence," Mangum said. "The street value of the seized marijuana is an estimated $100,000."
Deputies arrested Kelly Rupert, 47, Keegan Rupert, 18, Riley Rupert, 17, and Evan Malone, 27, on Wednesday. Karyn Rupert, 46, was arrested Friday. All five suspects are from Hoschton, according to Mangum.
Each suspect is charged with possession of marijuana greater than one ounce, manufacturing marijuana, trafficking marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug related objects.
Malone faces additional charges of possession of a schedule II narcotic and possession of hashish oil.
Mangum said the residence is in the Ga. 332 area.
"They've (investigators) been getting some information for a few months that there was a possibility of some stuff going on over there that we wanted to look into. We've been gathering our intelligence and working on it and trying to come up with enough to get over there."
