An animal control check on reports of a roaming dog in Wolcott ended in pot arrest at a home on Monday.
Police arrested resident Sabrina Tomaszewski, 32, and Mark Alberto Jr., her live-in boyfriend, after finding a marijuana growing operation at the home.
Officer Cesar Beiros, a Plymouth police officer who also does animal control work for Wolcott, knocked on a door at 131 Cancellaro Drive after receiving complaints about a roaming pit bull lab mix that lives at the address. While talking to the resident, the animal control officer smelled marijuana inside the house and saw pot plants inside and on the back porch.
Beiros alerted Wolcott's detective bureau. Police obtained a search warrant and raided the home, finding more than 50 plants. There were also growing lights, ventilation and a watering system in the basement for cultivating pot, police said. Police also found two guns.
Police arrested Tomaszewski and Alberto Jr. on charges of cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, operating a drug factor, possession of more than one kilogram of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Alberto Jr., who is a convicted felon, also faces a charge of criminal possession of a handgun.
The couple was released on bonds, $25,000 for Tomaszewski and $100,000 for Alberto Jr.
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Tomaszewski was arraigned in Waterbury Superior Court on Tuesday and Alberto Jr. is scheduled to appear on June 27 to enter a plea.
