JOHNSTOWN - Gloversville and state police worked together to seize about 35 marijuana plants, nine firearms and cash from a residence in the town near the city border while executing a search warrant Thursday.
Leo J. Hoyt, 50, of 272 Elmwood Ave. Extension, was arrested by state police and charged with third-degree criminal possession of marijuana, unlawfully growing cannabis and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Though the investigation was initiated by the Gloversville Detective Division, the residence was outside the city limits and the case was turned over to the state Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Gloversville Police Capt. James Lorenzoni said.
Hoyt was taken into custody and processed by state police in Fonda, and the marijuana, firearms and cash were transported to the state police by Gloversville police.
Lorenzoni said the investigation is part of ongoing marijuana eradication efforts in the city.
"Ninety percent of marijuana grown in Fulton County makes its way back to the city, where it is packaged, distributed, sold and consumed," Lorenzoni said. "Gloversville is the epicenter for narcotics in Fulton County."
State Police Senior Investigator Karl Meybaum said state police have seized about 600 plants in the region over the last two weeks.
He said that number is typical for this time of year, when many growers are harvesting plants they may have started growing inside last winter and then planted outside in the spring.
He said the plants don't seem to be tied to larger drug operations outside Fulton and Montgomery counties.
The plants seized from the residence ranged in size. Some were between 4 and 6 feet tall and some were inside while others were planted outside. Police chopped them with machetes in some cases to break them up.
Meybaum said he was unsure of the street value or grade of the marijuana, which depends on the grade and how much "bud" growers can harvest from the plant.
Meybaum said authorities seized nine firearms that Hoyt possessed illegally because he had been convicted of a previous crime.
About $545 in cash was also seized during the search warrant execution.
Hoyt was released and scheduled to appear in Town Court on Oct. 20.
Hoyt has retained Attorney Heidi A. Gifford from the Gloversville firm Gifford DiPasquale Attorneys & Counselors at Law.
Gifford said Hoyt plans to plead not guilty.
Gifford said the firearms do not belong to Hoyt, but rather to a family member of his, but did not provide any further details about his defense, other than to add Hoyt does not own the property where he lives.
