Former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss’ parrots have shielded her from arrest so far on multiple charges related to a marijuana grow operation found at her home in Pahrump, Nevada
Earlier this week, the Nye County Sheriff’s Department in Nevada disclosed the charges filed after a visit to the 47-year-old’s home on August 7. According to Fox 5 KVVU, the Nye County District Attorney plans to file charges including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana over one ounce, possession of drug paraphernalia, and more.
There were almost 400 marijuana plants being grown at Heidi Fleiss’ rural property in Pahrump. She claimed that she planned to sell them to a cooperative, but admitted that she didn’t have a license.
The cops ultimately hauled away 392 plants, as well as other equipment like grow lights and chemicals. TMZ ran a photo gallery of what they described as a weed jungle on Friday.
It’s a large if somewhat pathetic-looking operation. So it would appear to be a slam-dunk case.
However, Fleiss still hasn’t been arrested. Why not?
According to International Design Times, Heidi Fleiss’ parrots saved her. They’re valued at $200,000, and Nye County Sheriff Anthony De Meo has frankly admitted, “We don’t have facilities for exotic birds , and they are pretty rare and very expensive.”
Wow. Don’t try this in my state. I guarantee it wouldn’t work.
But you do get the idea that Nye County somewhat pities the crazy bird lady. Despite the marijuana grow bust, maybe they’ll find a way to work things out for Heidi Fleiss and her parrots.
Want to see her parrots? Here’s some footage of Fleiss playing with some of the beautiful birds.
It’s a nice set-up, and it’s clear that she has invested in taking care of the parrots. IDT said that she has around 25.
But let’s get real. It’s hard for me to see how you get to $200,000 from there.
The financial value of exotic parrots has dropped quite a bit in recent years. Some parrots are even popping up at rescue operations all around the country.
Fleiss doesn’t appear to be living all that high on the hog herself. It appears that her parrots have the best of everything, and she has what’s left over. It looks like they’re getting great care that nobody else is likely to provide, so Nye County is doing the right thing to keep her free to care for them.
But, no, I don’t believe she could sell them for any $200,000. If she could, I think she’d have high-tailed it out of Pahrump a long time ago.
But they’re worth their weight in gold if the parrots saved Heidi Fleiss from another trip to jail.
[Heidi Fleiss by Danial Dacumos via Wikimedia, Scarlet Macaw by Elaine Radford]