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COURTLAND, Miss. – Authorities say a green thumb landed a Courtland man behind bars after more than 1,000 marijuana plants were discovered inside a greenhouse behind his neighbor's house Tuesday morning

The Panola County Sheriff's Department said it weeded out what it described as the “sophisticated” marijuana growing operation when they were doing a welfare check on the elderly man who owns the home on McNeely Road off Highway 51.

While they were at the house, they discovered the marijuana in a greenhouse near the woods, but said it was the homeowner's neighbor, 58-year-old Kenneth John McMillan, who was responsible for growing the pot.

“There was a canopy, plastic, pretty sophisticated,” said Sheriff Dennis Darby.

Darby said McMillan was cooperative and admitted to growing the marijuana.

“He told us that he was teaching himself how to grow marijuana so he could move to Colorado,” said Darby.

McMillan's neighbor, Rosie Thomas, said she had no idea what was going on just yards away from her front porch.

“If I see it, I wouldn’t know it no way and so, I don’t use nothing like that,” said Thomas.

Authorities said it's likely the elderly homeowner had no idea what was going on at the back of his property either.

“I think he (McMillan) had told him (the homeowner) he was planting some shrubs in there,” said Darby.

WREG went by the house Thursday, but was promptly ordered to leave by a man that resembles McMillan.

Homeowners in Courtland said they hope McMillan is just as considerate in the future, and leaves his plants out of their yards.

“I hope the Lord don’t nobody come up here on my property doing all kind of junk like that,” said Thomas.

McMillan has been charged with manufacturing marijuana.

WREG has confirmed that he was recently hired to cut grass at the Panola Country Club, but a club manager told us that his future there is uncertain.

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