Police allege Stowe French restaurant grew pot
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By Thatcher Moats Times Argus Staff - Published: October 8, 2008
WATERVILLE – It seems business at Chez Claudine was really growing.
The owners of a Stowe restaurant have been arrested for possessing nearly four pounds of marijuana and for growing pot not only in their restaurant, but at their home and on a vacant house lot.
Glenn Myer and Claudine Myer, who own Chez Claudine on Mountain Road in Stowe, had 19 immature plants growing in a room off the main dining area of the restaurant, police said.
Police said they also found 27 mature plants growing on a house lot in Morrisville that the Myers owned, along with nine more mature plants at the Myers' home in Waterville. The mature plants ranged from about two feet tall to five feet tall, according to Morristown police officer Jason Luneau.
In addition, police found 3.95 pounds of processed marijuana during their investigation, Luneau said.
Glenn Myer is part of the Vermont marijuana registry and is allowed to have a limited amount of the drug, according to police. But the amount police said they found during their seizure far exceeds the two ounces of processed pot, two mature plants and the seven immature plants Myer is allowed to have under Vermont law.
Police were alerted to the Myers' alleged marijuana growing in two ways.
A "concerned citizen" was walking his dog on Cody Hill Road in Morrisville on Sept. 27 when his dog ran over to the plants, said Luneau, and the citizen then called police.
That same day, Glenn Myer called Stowe police to complain about another establishment near Chez Claudine, and police discovered his grow operation at the restaurant, said Luneau.
The Myers were "up front about everything," Luneau said, and police did not have to use search warrants.
"Everything was done through consent searches," said Luneau.
Police said they also discovered smoking paraphernalia, scales and growing equipment during their investigation.
Police are still trying to determine whether the Myers were selling marijuana.
The Myers told police the scales were used to weigh their pot before their own consumption, Luneau said, and they denied the scales were used for selling pot.
"At this time there's no evidence they were selling, but the investigation is continuing," said Luneau.
By his conservative estimate, each marijuana plant generally yields about two pounds of usable marijuana, Luneau said.
Glenn Myer, 50, and Claudine Myer, 37, are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 4 to face the charges.
A message left for the Myers was not returned by press time.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Morristown Police Department at 888-4211 or the anonymous Central Vermont Crme Stoppers Tip Line at 1-800-529-9998.
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