HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AMW) – A Christian County physician has been arrested on felony drug charges after police found an alleged indoor marijuana growing operation on her farm.

Dr. Gloria V. Staples

Gloria V. Staples, 58, of Crofton, turned herself in to police on February 11 upon advice from her attorney, according to Detective Jim Berghammer of the Christian County Sheriff’s Department. Berghammer said his office has been investigating Staples, an internist who operates a private medical practice in Hopkinsville, for several months and the investigation is ongoing.

Berghammer said Staples was charged with cultivating marijuana (more than five plants) and trafficking in marijuana (less than 8 ounces), both first offenses. She was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, marijuana and K2, the detective said.

K2 is a synthetic marijuana substitute sprayed with a man-made chemical similar to tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Kentucky outlawed K2, also known as “Spice,” last year.

All Staples’ charges would ordinarily be misdemeanors, Berghammer said, but several will be “firearm-enhanced,” meaning elevated to felony status because firearms were found in close proximity to the alleged indoor growing operation. Police confiscated a mix of handguns, shotguns and rifles from two locations on the doctor’s Christian County farm, the detective said.

Berghammer said two homes are located on the doctor’s horse farm. Police went to the home located at 15265 N. Madisonville Rd. Friday night at approximately 9:30 CST to execute a search warrant, the detective said, then obtained a second search warrant for the home located at 15253 N. Madisonville Rd. based on evidence found at the first location.

The second warrant was executed Saturday at approximately 5 a.m., the detective said, and police were on-scene at the doctor’s farm for more than 12 continuous hours in the course of serving both warrants.

Berghammer said Staples was not home at the time of the search, but a man who works on the doctor’s farm in exchange for being allowed to live there let officers into the first residence. Berghammer said that man, 21-year-old Ethan T. Hyde, is wanted in Georgia but authorities there are unwilling to extradite him from Kentucky. Hyde has not been charged with any crime in Kentucky, the detective said.

Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure records show Staples has been licensed to practice medicine in Kentucky since 2006 and her current medical license expires on Feb. 29, 2012. Records also show the board has never taken any disciplinary action against her.

“I do have some concerns about her being a doctor and getting charged with this,” Berghammer said. “At some point I’m sure the state of Kentucky is going to be calling me regarding her charges.”

Staples was lodged in the Christian County Jail. A jail spokeswoman said circuit judge Andrew C. Self released the doctor on her own recognizance late Saturday.

No arraignment date was yet available at this story’s deadline.

Officers from the Kentucky State Police assisted the sheriff’s office in conducting the search.

– Billy Suratt contributed to this report.