An anonymous text message led police to a house in Valparaiso, which had been converted into a massive pot-growing operation.
Police said the basement and first and second stories of the house had been completely converted to grow cannabis.
About 50 plants, plus numerous containers of fertilizer, growing tents and indoor plant grow-lights were stored and set up throughout the building at 506 Michigan Ave., police said.
The Porter County Narcotics Unit investigated the initial tip from earlier this week and found enough evidence to obtain a search warrant. Although no one was at the house when police arrived to search it at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the owner drove past at about 4:15 p.m. while police were still there. Officers recognized the vehicle and stopped and arrested Sean Nuetzmann, 30, of Illinois. Police said he'd been routinely visiting the house to take care of his crop.
Nuetzmann is charged with two felonies, cultivating marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance; and a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
A second person in the vehicle also was arrested. David Finney, 28, of New Lenox, Ill., is charged with visiting a common nuisance, a misdemeanor.
