MANATEE — A Palmetto man has been arrested on a charge of growing marijuana after his daughter reported his operation to a school resource officer, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report.
The Palmetto High School student told a Palmetto Police officer at the school her father was growing pot in their home in the 6100 block of 63rd Avenue East, according to Palmetto Police Lt. Scott Tyler.
Palmetto Police then turned the tip over to sheriff’s deputies because the girl’s house lies in the county, Tyler said.
Based on the tip, deputies early Wednesday went to the home of Patrick C. Allerton, 63, to conduct a welfare check on the girl and saw a bright light and blue tarp through an open window, with an odor of marijuana wafting out.
Allerton at first would not let deputies in the house, but he sent his daughter out to investigators. Sheriff’s child protection officials placed Allerton’s daughter in the custody of a family friend, the sheriff’s report said.
Threatened with a search warrant, Allerton agreed to allow deputies to search his home. They found eight marijuana plants and seven grams of pot in a dresser. Deputies also found more than $3,600 cash in the dresser along with drug paraphernalia, the sheriff’s report said.
Allerton said he grew the marijuana for personal use and never had any intent of selling it, according to the sheriff’s report.
Deputies arrested Allerton on charges of felony manufacture of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. He was being held in the Manatee County jail Thursday on $10,500 bond.
Students are often encouraged to report drug activity and other crimes to their school resource officers, Tyler said.
“I would like to think drug education that begins early in school has created an environment where students feel comfortable reporting what they see,” Tyler said.
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