Teacher Suspected of Drug Growing to Appear in Court

A coach and teacher at Northwest Catholic High School and his wife have been charged with operating a marijuana growing operation

A Northwest Catholic High School teacher and his wife accused of running a drug factory out of their Bloomfield home will be in Hartford Superior Court on Monday. 

A search warrant released last month night revealed that the home of Christopher Gallagher, 40, a Northwest Catholic English teacher and lacrosse coach, and his wife, Kristine Gallagher, 44, raided June 12, is suspected of being part of a wider network of marijuana growing houses, according to the Hartford Courant.

Both were arrested and charged after police, who were working with federal agents, served a search warrant at the couple’s 11 Sunset Lane home.

According to the Courant, the affidavit states that police and a DEA agent went to the Gallagher's house around 5:50 a.m. on June 12 and reported they could smell marijuana in the home. Christopher Gallagher answered the door when officers knocked.

Officers told Gallagher they were there because of the "weed grow," the Courant reports. Gallagher acted oblivious at first then according to the affidavit replied "well obviously."

Excessive electricity tipped detectives off.

The Courant reports that the average monthly electricity bill at the Gallagher home ranged from $302 to $634, while bills at neighboring homes ranged from $40 to $174.

After obtaining a search warrant, officers said they found four pounds of dried marijuana, 119 plants in various stages of growth, three guns, $2,200 in cash and a variety of packaging supplies were seized.

They believe Christopher Gallagher was producing drugs for about one year.

For eight years, Christopher Gallagher has been an English teacher and lacrosse coach at Northwest Catholic, located at 29 Wampanoag Drive in West Hartford. School officials said he has been placed on “indefinite administrative leave.”

Police said they have no reason to believe that Christopher Gallagher was supplying drugs to his students.

Both suspects were charged with cultivating more than one kilogram of marijuana, possession of more than four ounces of marijuana, possession with intent to sell, operating a drug factory and conspiracy to commit those crimes.

Christopher Gallagher was released on $150,000 bail.

Kristine Gallagher posted $50,000 bail and was released. 

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