Illinois men facing charges after 90 pot plants weighing 34 pounds located in Racine basement

RACINE -- Two men from Illinois are facing charges after prosecutors say a marijuana grow operation was found in a home on Erie St. in Racine on Friday, March 23.

Joseph McCarthy, 59, of Antioch, Ill. faces the below charges:

Christopher Neeve, 34, of Zion, Ill. faces the below charges:

According to a criminal complaint, investigators on Friday, March 23 responded to a home on Erie St. near Goold St. in Racine -- where McCarthy and Neeve were arrested. A search warrant was obtained for the home, and in the basement, the complaint indicates, behind a padlock, investigators found approximately 90 marijuana plants with root systems in pots.

They also found grow equipment, additional marijuana and packaging materials.

Marijuana plants were found hanging and on the floor of the basement, weighing 15,570 grams (34 pounds). It tested positive for THC.

The complaint says McCarthy and Neeve each had a key for the padlock to the basement.

Additionally, when McCarthy was searched, prosecutors say investigators located a metal box with a green, leafy substance that later tested positive for THC and weighed 3.7 grams.

The owner of the property, who lives in Illinois and was in Florida at the time the search warrant was executed, indicated he's owned the property for two years after inheriting it from his brother. He indicated he has never been at the property, and said "no one lives there." He said Neeve would cut the grass and shovel in order to avoid fines. He said he never gave Neeve or anyone else permission to use the property to grow marijuana and had no knowledge that it was taking place there.

McCarthy and Neeve were in court for their initial appearances Monday, March 26. Preliminary hearings were set for April 5 and cash bond was set at $5,000 for Neeve and $2,500 for McCarthy.