State police arrested a West Hartford resident Tuesday who they say was growing marijuana in his home on Quaker Lane and seized dozens of the plants and a small stash of illegal fireworks from the residence where a 3 year old also was at the time of their response.
Christopher J. Colby, 34, of West Hartford, is facing multiple drug charges and a risk of injury to a minor charge after a lengthy state police narcotics investigation.
State police detectives searched his 443 Quaker Lane home at about 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday and discovered a grow room in the attic that contained more than 66 plants. They seized the plants, which were in various states of growth, as well as multiple high intensity lights and ballasts often used in cultivating marijuana, 27 mason jars with marijuana buds of "various strands of marijuana," THC Butter from extracted marijuana oils, pipes, bongs, fertilizing agents and other paraphernalia, state police said.
State Police Emergency Services Unit bomb techs responded due to a small amount of illegal fireworks investigators found and seized those. They notified the Department of Children and Families because a 3-year-old child was home at the time. The kid's relationship to Colby is unknown.
Authorities charged Colby with cultivation of marijuana, operating a drug factory, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of fireworks and risk of injury to a minor.
He is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Jan. 26. His bond has been set at $50,000.
The State Police North Central narcotics task force oversaw the investigation with the help of special agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, West Hartford police Special Investigations Unit and the West Hartford Community Interaction Team.
