Crime & Safety
Smithfield Firefighters Respond to Stove Fire, Find Pot Plants, Man Charged
Police charged a local man with drug distribution near a school and other charges. They also seized 54 marijuana plants.
SMITHFIELD, RI—A man with a marijuana grow operation caught the attention of authorities after what started as a routine call for a stove fire, police said.
26-year-old Andrew Wilber, of 307 Stillwater Road, has been charged with marijuana manufacturing, distributing a controlled substance near a school and other charges after a Tuesday police raid led to the seizure of 54 pot plants, butane hash oil and more than 9 ounces of pot.
Police said Wilber, was arrested after police responded to his address after the fire department responded for a stove fire.
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Firefighters saw the marijuana grow operation at the house and alerted police.
Wibler was arrested Tuesday afternoon without incident and was held overnight at the Smithfield Police Station before his arraignment Wednesday where he was arraigned and released on $10,000 surety bail.
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Wibler is due to return to court on Nov. 29.
His address is two houses down from Breezy Knoll Child Care Center.
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