Update - 1:00 pm October 7, 2014
(WBIR - Blount County) A Blount County couple who was wanted for an indoor marijuana grow operation has been arrested in Florida.
Authorities in Sarasota, Florida arrested Hershel Bedsole, 35, and Karen Bedsole, 35, Monday, October 6. They are awaiting extradition back to Tennessee.
The Blount County Sheriff's Office put out a warrant for the Bedsoles arrests after Alcoa Police Officers found marijuana plants, weapons and thousands of dollars in cash in the basement of their Alcoa home.
The couple had initially called authorities when their teenage son went missing.
Original Story - September 20, 2014
(WBIR) Charges are pending against an Alcoa couple after authorities found an indoor marijuana grow, as well as several weapons, after they let police search their home for their missing child.
According to the Blount County Sheriff's Office, Alcoa Police went to the home on Airport Highway Saturday morning on a call of a missing 13-year-old.
The boy's parents gave officers permission to search inside for the teen, that's when police found the marijuana grow in the basement. Alcoa contacted the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force while officers continued looking for the missing boy. They found him unharmed in the woods behind the home.
Meanwhile, drug investigators found more than 20 marijuana plants and nine starter plants in a basement room. They also found around two pounds of finished marijuana and six guns. In addition, authorities seized more than $8,500 cash.
BCSO said they anticipate the parents will be charged after narcotics investigators consult with the attorney general's office early next week.
