HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The hearing scheduled for Wednesday for two men arrested for allegedly cultivating mushrooms, distributing mushrooms, no tax stamp and cruelty to animals was continued again after one of the defendants who is free on bond failed to show in court.
Jason Wineinger didn’t appear and Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton indicated to Judge Joe McCarville that he was told that there is a no bond warrant for Wineinger in Sedgwick County and that may be the reason he’s a no-show. Judge McCarville forfeited his previous bond and issued a bench warrant with a new bond of $125,000.
Nineteen-year-old Carlyeon Moore, who is still jailed, was present with his attorney. Stanton indicated that they’re in plea negotiations and didn’t want to proceed with the preliminary hearing without the co-defendant. Moore’s case will move back to a waiver-status docket on Sept. 30.
The two are accused of operating a mushroom growing operation inside a north side business.
It was back on March 18 when Hutchinson police served a search warrant at the business at 2534 N. Main. They found the mushroom growing operation. They also found a dog locked in a bathroom with no food and water and living in its own waste. Animal Control was called in and removed the animal.
This isn’t the first time that police have had trouble finding Wineinger. When the investigation began in this case, they couldn’t find him right away, so they issued a warrant for his arrest and he was eventually found. Now, they’ll have to search for him again.