BUCKHANNON – An Upshur County man was arrested over the weekend after law enforcement officers allegedly found approximately $2,300 worth of marijuana in his home.
William Lacey III, 57, of Buckhannon, was arrested Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, for possession with intent to deliver marijuana, a felony; transporting marijuana into the state, a felony; six counts of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, a misdemeanor; and possession of clonazepam, a misdemeanor.
According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by Upshur County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Tyler Gordon, at approximately 2:45 p.m., a search warrant was executed at Lacey’s residence on the Glady Fork Road after officers received information about him allegedly possessing large amounts of marijuana.
During the search, Gordon allegedly located a large plastic bag of marijuana beside the door to Lacey’s bedroom that later weighed in at approximately 10.1 ounces. Lacey unlocked his bedroom with a key, and Gordon allegedly found a revolver on top of a gun safe in that bedroom.
Lacey opened the safe, which was locked, by a combination he knew from memory. Inside the safe, Gordon located five long guns and numerous rounds of ammunition, the report says. Gordon’s report states that Lacey had been convicted of grand theft in 2006 and domestic battery in 1997 in California, according to the file.
During the search, 18 clonazepam pills were also found.
Lacey allegedly admitted to deputies that he had driven to California and “was given nearly a pound of marijuana valued at nearly $700 and returned it to West Virginia for his daughter,” the report states.
During an earlier interview with Lacey’s daughter, she allegedly admitted receiving marijuana from her father but also told officers she had purchased it from other sources.
“This leads me to believe [Lacey’s] daughter was not the only person purchasing marijuana from Lacey,” Gordon wrote in the complaint.
Gordon also allegedly located numerous unused cheap plastic baggies, which are consistently used in the delivery of controlled substances, particularly marijuana, in the bedroom as well as in Lacey’s truck. Additionally, inside the truck, Gordon located another medium-sized bag of suspected marijuana, with a different appearance than that of the larger bag.
The report says the smaller bag weighed approximately 1.5 oz, bringing the total amount of marijuana in Lacey’s possession up to about 11.5 ounces. The report notes this amount is valued at approximately $2,300 in West Virginia.
Bail was set at $100,000 cash or surety by Upshur County Magistrate Alan Suder.
The penalty for a conviction of possession with intent to deliver marijuana is confinement in a state correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $15,000 or both.
In addition, the potential penalty for transporting marijuana into the state is confinement in a state correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than 10 years, a fine of not more than $15,000 or both.
