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player ready...A 53-year-old man appeared in court Sunday afternoon, accused of growing 26 cannabis plants in his Andersonville home, police said.
Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. set bail Sunday at $10,000 for Michael Guiragossian, of the 1400 block of West Gregory Street.
Guiragossian is charged with producing and intending to deliver cannabis with a total street value of $78,000, and for possessing drug paraphernalia, in the form of two 600-watt lamps and a Sun System lamp, which he used to nurture cannabis plants, according to court documents. He is also charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
Guiragossian was targeted in a search warrant that was executed by Lincoln District officers about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a statement from Chicago police. When officers entered Guiragossian’s home, they spotted a “significant number” of cannabis plants and “means of production,” and Guiragossian was arrested, according to the statement.
Guiragossian and his brother, who was present during the search, were both detained, according to police reports.
The recovered cannabis plants included: Seven 5-foot-high plants found in Guiragossian’s backyard; a 4-foot plant in a plastic planter and three 2-foot plants inside a jar found in the second-floor dining room; and a plant in a plastic planter inside a second-floor bedroom, according to police reports. In the basement, police recovered lighting equipment and 13 cannabis plants that were each 5 feet high, according to police reports.
Police also recovered 15 handrolled cigarettes with loose cannabis in a second-floor bedroom, according to police reports.
Police said that Guiragossian told them during the search that, “All I do is grow weed to smoke, man. I don’t have any weapons and my brother has nothing to do with this.”
It is unclear whether Guiragossian’s brother was charged.
Guiragossian, who was born in Israel, is next due in court Aug. 11.