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Cranberry Township man charged with growing marijuana, building guns

A Cranberry Township man was arrested Friday, July 14, after police said 85 marijuana plants and other drug paraphernalia were found in his home and in easy access to children.

There was not a room in the house on Dover Drive where illegal drugs or firearms were not being manufactured or stored, according to Butler County Detectives.

One of the children even indicated to police where one of the firearms was kept, according to documents.

Christopher D. Russo, 46, was taken into custody early Friday and placed in Butler County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

He was charged with felonies drug sales and child endangerment and misdemeanors corruption of minors and use and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Documents showed the Butler County Drug task force executed a search warrant just before 8 a.m. Friday at Russo’s home. Russo was discovered sleeping in the living room, along with a woman and two children, ages 6 and 9.

Russo told police that the children slept in his home multiple times a week.

Police said two bedrooms had been converted to grow marijuana, and 85 plants were found.

Documents showed the search yielded molds for making marijuana pills, hypodermic needles, empty heroin bags, marijuana packaging and processing materials, THC oil and extract, and other small amounts of paraphernalia for crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamine.

The 6-year-old child said a rifle was kept under the bed in the bedroom as officers were interviewing Russo, police said.

Officers described the semi-automatic rifle in the affidavit as appearing homemade.

Documents showed other homemade weapons were found in the home, including a .40 caliber pistol found in the kitchen and a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in a living room safe.

Other guns found in the home included a .40 caliber Beretta pistol under a pillow in the bedroom and another semi-automatic rifle.

His preliminary hearing before District Judge Kevin Flaherty is scheduled July 28.

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