[nathanm412]

It now seems more likely that he turned to parolees because he knew he could control them better and they probably already knew the business.

[faster]

It's fairly clear in the article that the parolees were not working on the grow side.

"One investigator said Mondella’s employees were likely unaware of the doings in that stealth basement. These employees include parolees that Mondella was known to hire from the nearby housing project, giving them a chance to not let a crime define their lives."