Police Find Marijuana Farm on Westside

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has uncovered a pot farm in a Westside neighborhood.

Police arrested 32-year-old Patrick Rowe.

Rowe tells First Coast News it was a science project that got out of hand.

Rowe says he turned himself in to police, but the JSO says Rowe was caught when someone called in a tip.

"Our undercover officers actually recieved a tip that this person was cultivating marijuana. And we simply walked up to the door, knocked on the door, the homeowner came out and we asked, can we search your residence, he said, 'sure, come on in,'" said Melissa Bujeda, with the JSO.

Bujeda says it's not typical for someone doing illegal activity to be so accomodating.

"When approached by police sometimes people feel it's time to step up and do the right thing," said Bujeda.

Bujeda says police found nearly 30 pounds of living marijuana plants, that's nearly 200 plants in all inside his house. Rowe says he doesn't believe he had that many plants.

"He was definitely cultivating marijuana with intent to sell or distribute. It's definitely a large quantity and we're glad we were able to get this before it was distributed on the streets," said Bujeda.

One neighbor, Derrick Jackson, feels the same way.

"I don't think we should have that in this neighborhood, there's already enough crime around here as it is," said Jackson.

Rowe wouldn't say what kind of science project he was conducting, or why. But he says he feels terrible he did it.

Police say the plants took up most of two rooms in the house. Rowe says he never planned on selling the drugs.