Man found criminal charge instead of his missing pot

By DARRYL ENRIQUEZ Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010

ELKHORN — The last four marijuana plants near his Genoa City home were gone.

In their place, the man found the following note:

"Thanks for the bud!! If you want it back, let's make a deal."

A phone number was on the note. He called.

The phone number was to the Walworth County Drug Unit.

Instead of getting back the missing pot, Michael Schilz, 22, ended up with a felony charge of drug manufacturing.

Schilz is free on a signature bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 3 before Judge Robert Kennedy.

According to a criminal complaint:

A drug unit member went to a marijuana growing site in Bloomfield Township and spotted eight plants in September 2009. When he returned a few days later, four plants remained, so he planted the note.

About three weeks later, Schilz left eight messages on the drug unit's answering machine. Investigators report the calls came from a home about 50 yards from the grow site. When an investigator called back, he recognized Schilz' voice and told him why he was calling.

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