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Red Hook Cherry Magnate Kills Himself After Authorities Uncover Massive Pot Growing Operation
By
Lauren Evans
Published Feb 25, 2015
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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By
Lauren Evans
Published Feb 25, 2015
Modified Jul 24, 2017
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The third-generation owner of Dell’s Maraschino Cherries in Red Hook killed himself in the warehouse bathroom after investigators accidentally stumbled upon a massive pot growing operation.
Arthur Mondella, 57, was being questioned by authorities on an administrative search warrant to determine whether he was illegally dumping cherry effluvia into the waters near the Dikeman Street warehouse. About four hours into questioning, however, they caught a faint whiff of weed, in addition to noticing a shelf shoddily attached to a wall with magnets.
When they inquired about the weed scent, Mondella excused himself and walked into the bathroom attached to his office. Upon locking the door, he shouted to his sister to "Take care of my kids" before shooting himself in the head with the .357 Magnum he apparently kept strapped to his ankle, the Daily News reports.
Investigators soon discovered around 80 pounds of pot and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash stowed in the factory, and later, after executing a search warrant, unearthed a much larger growing operation under the warehouse, in addition to a collection of fancy vehicles including a Rolls-Royce, a Porsche and Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Mondella, whose grandfather started the now 67-year-old business, was being investigated by the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation and NYC's Department of Environmental Protection for dumping sticky red waste into the water—so much, in fact, that area bees were turning red. Still, neighbors were shocked to learn about the massive operation swirling below the otherwise successful cherry business, which distributed to such chains as Red Lobster, Buffalo Wild Wings and TGI Friday.
“It doesn’t make sense that it would be a front; I mean, they’re a legitimate business. They’ve been around for a long time,” Joe Morrine, owner of nearby Recycled Brooklyn, told CBS New York. “Just a normal business operating; you know, lots of forklifts moving things in and out; nice people.”
Even authorities didn't think that Mondella's weed operation would have landed him in much trouble, though one law enforcement source apparently told the Post that Mondella was “very paranoid” and “loved cocaine.” Still, there is no evidence that Mondella was peddling anything harder than green stuff.
“Poor guy, in this day and age, you can do no jail time for marijuana,” the source said. “I don’t know why he would do that, unless there’s something worse down there.”
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
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dell's maraschino cherries
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Lauren Evans
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