Andrea Sanderlin, Scarsdale mom, pleads not guilty to marijuana-growing charges
(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Suburban New York mom Andrea Sanderlin pleaded not guilty Friday to charges she grew thousands of marijuana plants worth millions of dollars in the drug trade.
PICTURES: N.Y. mom accused of running massive pot operation
Sanderlin entered a plea of not guilty in Brooklyn federal court.
The mother of two daughters, ages 13 and 3, lived in an upper-middle-class neighborhood in Scarsdale, N.Y. She drove luxury cars and rode horses as a hobby.
The 45-year-old woman allegedly operated the business under the name "fantastic Enterprises" at a warehouse in Maspeth, Queens.
The operation was busted when police say they were tipped off by a man arrested on drug charges. Officers contacted ConEdison and they were told the electric bill for the Maspeth address was unusually high.
The DEA spent several days following Sanderlin from her home to the warehouse before her May 20 arrest.
The story resembles a real-life version of the Showtime series "Weeds." It chronicled a California woman's decision to grow pot to support her family. But prosecutors say Sanderlin's business was reality, not fiction.
Sanderlin was detained for a bail hearing. Her lawyer says he believes she will be released next week.