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At least 60 subpoenas are filed each month across the state seeking customers' energy-use records from American Electric Power and other utilities.
The goal: to root out indoor marijuana-growing operations.
Most of the subpoenas AEP receives are filed in central Ohio because of the region's high population density and large number of customers, said Terri Flora, AEP spokeswoman.
The utility, while sensitive to its customers' expectation of privacy, is compelled by law to provide information about electricity use, Flora said. "We're obligated when we get these requests. There's not an option to say no."
Gahanna detectives staking out two homes since last year recently requested "billing detail for these addresses, including the subscriber information ... to better identify the participants in this illegal activity," according to a letter accompanying the subpoena. The cases are still open, according to police.
"It's pretty effective," said Lt. Tom Basso, who oversees investigations for Gahanna.
"Most of our grows (houses) are usually in quiet neighborhoods where t here's not a whole lot of traffic," he said. Basements, bedrooms and attics often are used.
The investigative subpoena is one tool among many used to build criminal cases against suspected "grow house" operators, said Anthony Marotta, assistant special agent in charge of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration's operations in Ohio. The houses are found in the inner cities, townships and suburbs, he said.
When police get a tip related to suspicious activity in a home, they might send undercover officers to stake it out. But if nothing illegal is observed, they might seek power-use records.
"How else can I get an indicator to get probable cause if I can't see anything?" said Marotta.
If a growing operation is inside, the utility records reveal far higher energy use than at comparable homes because of the high-wattage bulbs needed for growing.
"It will generally be three to five times more than anyone else," Marotta said. "These grow lights draw a tremendous amount of wattage. You have to mimic the sun. You can suntan under these things."
The subpoena typically seeks records for the address under investigation and a few nearby homes for comparison. Police cannot survey large areas.
Columbus also supplies water-use data when asked, said Laura Young-Mohr, utilities spokeswoman. But high water use can have a variety of causes.
"You could have a leaky toilet," she said.
Police don't always need a subpoena to bolster a case. A tip from the owner of a 4,000-square-foot home in the Dublin school district helped police uncover a massive growing operation by his tenant.
In Worthington last summer, neighbors tipped police to a woman who was openly growing marijuana.
"She's got light bulbs shining on her 12-inch plants," recalled Lt. Mike Dougherty. "If you're going to grow them, why put them in front of the window where people can see them?
Sometimes, high electricity use doesn't lead investigators to drugs. A federal investigation in the Powell area turned into a surprise for detectives.
"We thought it was a major grow operation ... but this guy had some kind of business involving computers," Marotta said. "I don't know how many computer servers we found in his home."
hxxp://tinyurl.com/622y27x
The goal: to root out indoor marijuana-growing operations.
Most of the subpoenas AEP receives are filed in central Ohio because of the region's high population density and large number of customers, said Terri Flora, AEP spokeswoman.
The utility, while sensitive to its customers' expectation of privacy, is compelled by law to provide information about electricity use, Flora said. "We're obligated when we get these requests. There's not an option to say no."
Gahanna detectives staking out two homes since last year recently requested "billing detail for these addresses, including the subscriber information ... to better identify the participants in this illegal activity," according to a letter accompanying the subpoena. The cases are still open, according to police.
"It's pretty effective," said Lt. Tom Basso, who oversees investigations for Gahanna.
"Most of our grows (houses) are usually in quiet neighborhoods where t here's not a whole lot of traffic," he said. Basements, bedrooms and attics often are used.
The investigative subpoena is one tool among many used to build criminal cases against suspected "grow house" operators, said Anthony Marotta, assistant special agent in charge of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration's operations in Ohio. The houses are found in the inner cities, townships and suburbs, he said.
When police get a tip related to suspicious activity in a home, they might send undercover officers to stake it out. But if nothing illegal is observed, they might seek power-use records.
"How else can I get an indicator to get probable cause if I can't see anything?" said Marotta.
If a growing operation is inside, the utility records reveal far higher energy use than at comparable homes because of the high-wattage bulbs needed for growing.
"It will generally be three to five times more than anyone else," Marotta said. "These grow lights draw a tremendous amount of wattage. You have to mimic the sun. You can suntan under these things."
The subpoena typically seeks records for the address under investigation and a few nearby homes for comparison. Police cannot survey large areas.
Columbus also supplies water-use data when asked, said Laura Young-Mohr, utilities spokeswoman. But high water use can have a variety of causes.
"You could have a leaky toilet," she said.
Police don't always need a subpoena to bolster a case. A tip from the owner of a 4,000-square-foot home in the Dublin school district helped police uncover a massive growing operation by his tenant.
In Worthington last summer, neighbors tipped police to a woman who was openly growing marijuana.
"She's got light bulbs shining on her 12-inch plants," recalled Lt. Mike Dougherty. "If you're going to grow them, why put them in front of the window where people can see them?
Sometimes, high electricity use doesn't lead investigators to drugs. A federal investigation in the Powell area turned into a surprise for detectives.
"We thought it was a major grow operation ... but this guy had some kind of business involving computers," Marotta said. "I don't know how many computer servers we found in his home."
hxxp://tinyurl.com/622y27x
