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Feb 21, 2016 3:52 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Larry
Enterprise, Al. 36330 (Zone 8b)
Composter Daylilies Garden Photography Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: Alabama
Stumbled across this old story but found it very interesting. I was really surprised at the light sentences handed out!
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06...
Last edited by Seedfork Feb 21, 2016 4:09 PM Icon for preview
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Feb 21, 2016 4:03 PM CST
Name: Amanda
St Louis Metro (Zone 6b)
Ummm might want to post a link...Im tearing out a bathroom atm...

edited to say.... WOW
Last edited by Badcat Feb 22, 2016 3:20 PM Icon for preview
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Feb 21, 2016 7:18 PM CST
Name: Karen
Southeast PA (Zone 6b)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I own and grow one of his lovely daylily, Brookwood Softly Pink. So sad to hear that he has to resort to illegal activity to survive. I do feel sorry for the old folks who can no longer live off the interest on their savings as they could back in 80's & 90's when the savings rate was over 5%.
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Feb 21, 2016 7:59 PM CST
Name: Donald
Eastland county, Texas (Zone 8a)
Raises cows Enjoys or suffers hot summers Region: Texas Plant Identifier
Seedfork said:Stumbled across this old story but found it very interesting. I was really surprised at the light sentences handed out!
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06...


Published in June 2014. That isn't all that old! Very interesting tale.
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Feb 21, 2016 8:19 PM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Oh...wow... Sad
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Feb 21, 2016 8:25 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Larry
Enterprise, Al. 36330 (Zone 8b)
Composter Daylilies Garden Photography Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: Alabama
needrain,
Looking at the arrest video it was actually made in 2011, so I guess the article was written a few years later.

kousa,
I don't know all the details, but I find it hard to feel sorry for anyone bringing drugs into this country! He was getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for his trips, that does not sound like some old person trying to survive, it sounds like greed! I would love to know what got him going down the wrong path, and how a person with kids, grandkids, etc. can do such a thing. I tried to look at the dates of the registrations of the many daylilies and it appears they were mostly done in the early to mid nineties. If I knew the daylilies were bought and grown with drug money I would never own any of them, but they might have all be done before he got involved in his life of crime.
I did a search and pulled up 182 registered plants by him.
Last edited by Seedfork Feb 21, 2016 8:33 PM Icon for preview
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Feb 21, 2016 8:37 PM CST
Name: Karen
Southeast PA (Zone 6b)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Well from the article, it does not look like he was living the rich life from the income he received for the activities he was doing. It did not mention that he was owning Porsches or living in multimillion mansions. His garden of daylilies was rundown and unkempt from lack of maintenance as noted from the article tells me that he was not making that much money from these activities. I can only conclude that he must have used this money to live and pay bills. Or that his lawyer was telling the truth that the drug lords must have had some hold or threat over his life if he did not do as they asked.
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Feb 21, 2016 8:42 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Larry
Enterprise, Al. 36330 (Zone 8b)
Composter Daylilies Garden Photography Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: Alabama
I am sure it would be hard to maintain a large daylily garden when making constant trips to Mexico and back and forth to Chicago hauling truck loads of cocaine.
But I do think the garden was visited by the reporter and found in that shape several years after he was arrested.
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Feb 22, 2016 6:18 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Isn't that something. Wow.

Check out Leo's intros. Do a search by hybridizer "Sharp". Brookwood is used in many of the names.

Owning one of his just for the novelty of it, would be fun. I have no idea how nice these cultivars really are. Does anyone own any?
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
Last edited by beckygardener Feb 22, 2016 6:21 AM Icon for preview
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Feb 22, 2016 7:23 AM CST
Name: Cynthia (Cindy)
Melvindale, Mi (Zone 5b)
Daylilies Hybridizer Irises Butterflies Charter ATP Member Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Birds Region: Michigan Vegetable Grower Hummingbirder Heucheras Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
I remember reading about this. I think I used to get catalogs from him. Don't think I have any of his plants though.
Lighthouse Gardens
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Feb 22, 2016 7:30 AM CST
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
It was a big deal in about 2003 or 2004. Spoken in whispers behind doors. At that time, I was immersed in the daylily culture here in FL. I met Leo at David's place. Nice old man. He and David left the house and were walking around the garden talking. That when I was told what Leo was doing. I thought he had been arrested but apparently not. Because I have zero tolerance for drugs, I didn't ask many questions, but then that wasn't necessary. I was one of the daylily people and people talk. Personally, I have no confidence of the amount of drugs cited by the newspaper--they infer that he was the only mule but that can't be true. Too risky for El Chapo. He wouldn't trust a gringo that much!!
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Feb 22, 2016 7:50 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
You know, the more I thought about this old hybridizer "choosing" that lifestyle, the more I believe he was coerced. Either he got himself into some kind of debt (perhaps due to the daylily business or a family member's money woes) or the drug cartels had something over on him to get him to do this constantly to such a large scale degree. He did not appear to be living in wealth. (He should have made millions off these drug deliveries.)

We all read about how the drug cartels work. They kidnap family members, follow through on threats, brutal killings, etc. They are very dangerous people. I am so sorry to hear that he got involved, especially if he was coerced into the business.

I am one of those people who have never understood the attraction to drugs or even alcohol (except drinks at an occasional social event). It seems no good can come of it. Why people do these things makes me wonder if they think they are impervious, are suicidal, or trying to numb themselves from living. It's a life choice that people make. Drug cartels would not be in business if people chose not to do drugs. I think the only exception I could imagine would be if you were in constant physical pain such as a debilitating or terminal disease. I think more people should take up gardening. I think the health benefits are tremendous and the side-effects are nominal. (Except to your pocketbook sometimes!) Whistling

Such a shame.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Feb 22, 2016 7:59 AM CST
Name: Julie C
Roanoke, VA (Zone 7a)
Daylilies Garden Photography Region: Virginia Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Heucheras Cat Lover
Hummingbirder Clematis Lilies Birds Garden Art Butterflies
This is really an OLD story that was discussed on the Email robin and FB back in early 2012. A Daylily friend went to visit Leo in prison last year, I believe. Some questioned whether he was aware of what he was doing, as his lawyer argued he'd been taken advantage of. From conversations I had with him back in 2009 I'd say he was as sharp as a tack and no way was he conned into doing anything he didn't want to do. he had plenty of money and was quick to tell about it. I seem to remember his telling me he owned an airplane. So why was he driving??
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Feb 22, 2016 8:03 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Julie - Thanks for that info. Well, then he was apparently in it for the money and perhaps the thrill of doing it. I guess he thought he could never be caught. Sounds like his ego and greed got the best of him. He's right where he should be (for probably the remainder of his life.) No sympathy for him from me after reading your post.

I can't help but wonder how many people died because of his drug deliveries.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
Last edited by beckygardener Feb 22, 2016 8:04 AM Icon for preview
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Feb 22, 2016 8:32 AM CST
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
Becky, easy money is a corruptive force. There are many people who can never have enough money and that "need" leads them to do things to increase their wealth. To me it sounds like a hamster on a wheel, but that's the way it is. Yes, Leo was a sharp as a tack. Don't you think it's weird that he would drive a Lincoln pick up? Distinctive vehicle, no?
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Feb 22, 2016 8:40 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
I watched his arrest video. He sure knew how to work it during his arrest. Wow.

Yeah, a Lincoln truck .... oh boy. Apparently he wasn't as smart as he thought.

So he was sentenced to 3 years in prison in summer of 2014. So that means he gets out in summer of 2017? He'll be 93.

It's an interesting story, for sure. (I hadn't heard about it before.) He'll probably get out and write a book and make a million off a book. Rolling my eyes.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Feb 22, 2016 9:02 AM CST
Name: Kurt
Woodbridge , Va (Zone 7a)
Jai guru deva om
Region: Ukraine Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Wild Plant Hunter Hummingbirder Butterflies
Birds Dragonflies Garden Photography Frugal Gardener Tender Perennials Salvias
he has already been released

http://abc7chicago.com/news/91...
A pint can't hold a quart , If it is holding a pint it is doing the best that it can.
and it is written ,
if the evil spirit arms the tiger with claws , brahman provided wings for the dove.
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Feb 22, 2016 9:03 AM CST
Name: Kurt
Woodbridge , Va (Zone 7a)
Jai guru deva om
Region: Ukraine Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Wild Plant Hunter Hummingbirder Butterflies
Birds Dragonflies Garden Photography Frugal Gardener Tender Perennials Salvias
and they are making a Hollywood movie about him
A pint can't hold a quart , If it is holding a pint it is doing the best that it can.
and it is written ,
if the evil spirit arms the tiger with claws , brahman provided wings for the dove.
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Feb 22, 2016 9:16 AM CST
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
What a surprise!
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Feb 22, 2016 9:25 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Only in America!!! Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious! Geez.

Is he still alive?
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden

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