Undercover detectives assigned to the Hermitage Precinct Thursday night arrested an Antioch man for operating two separate marijuana grow rooms, one in an apartment at the Creekstone complex off Stewarts Ferry Pike, and the other inside his 1089 Barnes Road home.
Melvin James Stewart, 26, is jailed in lieu of $215,000 bond on two counts of manufacturing marijuana, one count of possessing marijuana for resale, and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia.
On Wednesday, the police department received a tip that one of the units at Creekstone (313 Peach Creek Crescent) was apparently being used solely as a place to grow marijuana. During the execution of a search warrant, officers discovered grow lamps on motors that were designed to move over the plants, as well as a system that provided plant nutrition by electric timer. Seized, in addition to the growing equipment, were a laptop computer and one ounce of marijuana.
The investigation led officers to Stewart and his 1089 Barnes Road home on Thursday evening. Stewart admitted that he had rented the apartment and owned the growing equipment, but said it was for tomatoes and vegetables, not marijuana. A subsequent search of the home led to the discovery of a growing room in the basement complete with high intensity lamps on motors, hydro equipment and timers. Seized from the home were 109 marijuana plants and seven pounds of processed marijuana.
“The excellent work of Hermitage Precinct undercover detectives all began with a citizen's tip,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. “The police department is most effective when persons in the community help us by reporting suspicious activity. Anyone suspecting drug activity in their neighborhood can tell us about it anonymously by calling 244-DOPE.”
Melvin Stewart
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