A Lyle woman who was allegedly orchestrating a marijuana growing operation in her home was taken into custody Thursday.

Deborah Jean Tucker, 57, faces three felony drug charges.

Tucker’s boyfriend, Conrad Walter Petersen, 64, was pulled over in Idaho on March 14 and law enforcement found $71,505 in cash and 3 grams of marijuana in his possession, according to a court complaint. Because the bundles of money smelled of marijuana, Idaho law enforcement became suspicious that Petersen might be part of a growing operation.

Mower County Sheriff’s deputies learned of Petersen’s traffic stop in Idaho on March 15 and visited his house in Lyle Township. A search of the house uncovered several items used for growing marijuana, including heat lamps, irrigation equipment and a “walled-off room” inside a shed that contained 48 empty growing pots, a carbon dioxide tank and liquid fertilizers.

When deputies spoke with Tucker, she admitted she had three marijuana plants growing in an upstairs closet, but she threw them away when she heard of Petersen’s arrest. Tucker admitted that Petersen, who was on his way to Washington when he was arrested, had bought 20-30 small marijuana plants from someone in Washington on a previous trip.

Tucker also told officers Petersen had harvested the marijuana from the shed a few weeks ago.

The seized marijuana weighed 733.5 grams.

Tucker is scheduled to enter her plea in Mower County Court on May 12.