Trials pending in drug cases

SANDPOINT - Trials are pending for at least two suspects accused of growing marijuana in Elmira and a third suspect is sought for arrest after she failed to show at a court hearing.

Robin Lindsay McLennan and James Craig McLennan are scheduled to tried next month on charges of manufacturing marijuana. Teresa McLennan, Robin's McLennan's wife, was also charged in connection with the grow, but she was set to plead to a misdemeanor pot possession charge to resolve her case, according to court documents.

Teresa McLennan, 34, was scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, but she failed to show for the hearing and a bench warrant was issued.

Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Louis Marshall said the plea agreement was contingent upon her sentencing, but added that the ship has not yet sailed on further negotiations, court records show.

Authorities learned of the marijuana growing from Robin and Teresa McLennan's 5-year-old daughter, an Idaho State Police report said. Robin and Teresa McLennan were questioned by police about a moving violation involving a boat trailer in July of last year.

Robin McLennan, 40, was arrested for failure to purchase a driver's license and a small amount of pot and paraphernalia was found in the couple's van. The couple's child then related that pot was being grown at their home, court documents said.

Counsel for Teresa McLennan, Chief Public Defender Isabella Roberston, is moving to suppress the child's remarks, arguing that the statements were too unreliable to serve as the basis for a search warrant, among other things.

At the time of the bust, James McLennan, 50, took full responsibility for the growing operation, court records indicate.