Possible marijuana-growing operation discovered in Bloomfield Township

BLOOMFIELD — A state Route 87 man’s insistence that road crews not mow cat tails in the ditch in front of his house has led to potential criminal charges after police found a marijuana grow operation.

The Ohio Department of Transportation was confronted by signs in front of the home at 2160 Route 87 just west of the state Route 45 intersection Tuesday morning threatening anyone who would cut down the vegetation.

“Mow ditches, get stitches,” is the way the homeowner worded it on a sign by the mailbox.

That led ODOT workers to contact the Ohio State Highway Patrol to assist while ODOT carried out its work.

But when the highway patrol approached the home to discuss the situation with the property ower, they smelled marijuana coming from inside.

They also spotted an outdoor pot-growing operation near the house. After obtaining a search warrant from Newton Falls Municipal Court, investigators with the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force recovered 29 pot plants inside the house, 19 plants outside, plus weapons, containers of pot, $9,800 in cash and other items.

The pot will be dried and later weighed before charges are filed. Sydney Gwinn, 66, lives at the home, a TAG press release says.