Carson City man arrested with 50 marijuana plants

Carson City Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team apprehended a man who was using his apartment as a marijuana grow house late Thursday night.

A 61-year-old Carson City man was arrested at a Saliman Road address after officers found about 50 marijuana plants, hash oil and dried marijuana in his apartment.

The man’s neighbors called police after several alleged complaints to the property managers. Residents claim that they approached the property manager about the operation the manager allegedly told him to get rid of the plants before Thursday night.

Units responded after residents called the police after the man’s drip system for his plants flooded and disrupted the power in his downstairs neighbor’s apartment.

When SET arrived at the scene, the man wasn’t home but they had reasonable suspicion to search the residence because they could see the plants through the blinds and could smell the marijuana inside. Deputies apprehended him shortly after when he returned to the residence.

“This was a complex coming together,” Sgt. Daniel Gonzales said. “They basically went against the management because it seemed as if they were turning a blind eye.”

Gonzales said that this situation could have gone south very quickly. The house contained hash oil, a highly flammable substance, in close proximity to a large oxygen container, which could have ignited it and set the entire apartment complex on fire. There also was faulty electrical wiring where the man had rigged the electrical to maintain the lights that are used to grow the marijuana.

“This is what SET is here for, to take quick action,” Gonzales said. “The key is the public to give us those tips and allow us to do this to be able to react immediately and help clean up the city.”

Sheriff Ken Furlong said they believe the man had an expired medical marijuana card and was using that as his ruse to grow.

He was charged with possession of marijuana over an ounce, maintaining a drug house and possession for sales.