Shellsburg man sentenced for unique marijuana growing

A rural Shellsburg man has been sentenced to probation for running a unique marijuana-growing operation. 38-year-old Randal Mauderer pleaded guilty to manufacturing a controlled substance, and delivering a controlled substance. He was sentenced to three years probation. Benton County law enforcement officers say they found 64 marijuana plants in a hydroponics growing operation in Mauderer’s mobile home. The plants were given a street value of 64-thousand dollars. They say it was the first hydroponic grow operation they’d seen. Hydroponics is used to grow plants in water instead of soil.