Tip leads police to stash of pot plants, guns

By Ethan Forman and Julie Manganis Staff writers The Salem News Fri Sep 16, 2011, 05:00 AM EDT

DANVERS — A tip to police that someone was growing marijuana in a backyard not far from downtown led to the discovery of a "sophisticated" growing operation with more than 40 plants; a cache of improperly stored, high-powered weapons; and nearly $50,000 in cash and prescription pills, police said.

Michael Crisafi, 45, of 133 High St. was arrested shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday and is now facing a string of charges, including improper сторидж of high-capacity firearms, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and numerous drug possession charges.

Crisafi is free on $10,000 cash bail, posted by his father shortly after his arraignment yesterday in Salem District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Both men declined comment as they left the courthouse yesterday.

Crisafi's attorney, Heather Ramsey, noted that all of the guns were properly licensed.

While Crisafi was licensed to carry the weapons — including handguns, rifles, shotguns and high-powered semi-automatics — police found the guns "scattered" around the house, Danvers police Sgt. Robert Bettencourt said. Some of the guns were locked, but others weren't.

In court, when a prosecutor asked a judge to order Crisafi to turn over all of his weapons to police as a condition of bail, Crisafi told the judge, "They took them all."

The house is in a residential neighborhood near the entrance and exit ramps for Route 128, just past the commercial stretch of High Street.

After getting the tip, Detective Timothy Williamson obtained a search warrant and showed up at the house, where he and other officers confirmed there was a plant in the yard and another visible through a window, police and a prosecutor said. Inside, they found six 4- to 6-foot plants growing in a second-floor bedroom and another eight plants growing under heat lamps below the larger plants.

Still more plants were found in the attic, police said.

Police also found a pound of marijuana buds split between six bags. More marijuana was stored in a basement freezer, prosecutor Patrick Collins said in court.

"He's got a pretty sophisticated system," Bettencourt said.

"This defendant seemingly had an active marijuana growing and selling operation," Collins told the judge.

Collins said $47,000 was found in bundles in a closet, and another $3,910 was found in a drawer.

Police said Collins also possessed a variety of prescription pills for which he did not have prescriptions, including Suboxone, which is used in the treatment of opioid dependence; Percocet, a narcotic pain reliever; Lorazepam, which is used to treat anxiety; and Cialis and Viagra, used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Police also seized tablets of the muscle relaxant Flexeril; two Klonopin tablets used to control seizures; Alprazolam pills, which are used to treat panic attacks; and eight Dronabinol pills used to treat nausea and vomiting.

Ramsey, the defense attorney, said there was nothing unusual about a middle-aged man having those types of pills — particularly a man with multiple sclerosis, a disease that attacks the central nervous system. Crisafi was diagnosed with MS a decade ago.

Ramsey told Judge Robert Brennan that, while not admitting the marijuana was his, the drug is often prescribed for MS patients in states that allow medicinal marijuana.

As for the cash, Ramsey said that came from rent payments from his tenants.

Crisafi is due back in court Oct. 11.

Assisting Williamson on the arrest was Sgt. William Carleton; Detective Robert Sullivan; and Patrolmen Adam French, Richard Barthelmess, Justin Ellenton and Dana Martin. Among other things, Sgt. David Joyce logged the plants into evidence.

The white and brown two-family home where the arrest took place is co-owned by Crisafi, and a second man, William J. Crisafi, and is assessed at $323,800, according to town records.

Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673, by email at eforman@salemnews.com or on Twitter @DanverSalemNews.

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