Police seize plants
Butler police say they uncovered a significant marijuana grow operation at a Center Avenue home while serving a protection from abuse order.
More than 100 plants, some as tall as 4 feet, were seized Monday as were grow lights, timers, humidifiers and other equipment, according to court documents.
Dennis A. Williams, 31, was arrested and charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of drug possession. He was placed in the Butler County Prison and released later that day after posting $3,000 bail.
City officers about 3:15 p.m. showed up at Williams’ house in the 600 block of Center Avenue to serve the emergency protective order and take any guns he had in the home.
County court earlier had issued the PFA to Williams’ wife, Jesse M. Williams, who noted in her application for the order that her husband had threatened her with a pistol, documents said
When they went inside, police said, the officers smelled a “strong odor” of fresh marijuana. A short time later, they noticed what appeared to be marijuana buds on the kitchen counter.
Williams admitted that he was drying out the buds as part of processing the illegal crop, police said.
The defendant disclosed his operation, telling police “there are plants growing in the basement,” documents said.
Officers detained Williams and took him to the police station, eventually obtaining a search warrant for the suspect’s house.
During the search, police found 118 potted plants, ranging in size from seedlings to 4 feet, in the basement, said police Capt. David Dalcamo. Additionally, they found industrial lighting, fans, heaters, light timers, bags of potting soil and numerous planting pots.
Dalcamo said police also turned up several containers of dried marijuana.
District Judge Dave Kovach on Tuesday morning arraigned Williams on felony charges of manufacturing a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
He also was arraigned on misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
Later Tuesday afternoon, police arrested Jesse Williams on a charge of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance, alleging that since she lived at the home, she knew about the growing operation.
She was arraigned on the felony charge. Like her husband, she is free on $3,000 bail.
