ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Christopher H. Monfort, 40, of East Rochester, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa, to manufacturing 50 or more marijuana plants. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that during the execution of a search warrant at a residence at 353 Noridge Drive in Irondequoit, N.Y., police recovered 276 marijuana plants, as well as scales, lights, and other equipment used to grow and manufacture marijuana. Monfort admitted to using the residence to house a marijuana grow operation.
Monfort also faces other federal charges in a separate matter. On Sept. 11, 2009, the defendant pleaded guilty to burglary of a railcar, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Those charges resulted from Monfort's involvement in the theft of more than 67 gross tons of processed scrap metal from railcars at a CSX Transportation railroad yard located south of the City of Batavia, between June 20, 2009, and June 30, 2009.
The plea relating to the marijuana grow operations is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team composed of law enforcement personnel from the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief James M. Sheppard, the Brighton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Henderson, the East Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven J. Clancy, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Brian R. Crowell, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division.Sentencing for both matters is scheduled for March 4, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. before Judge Siragusa.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
