3 Charged Following Drug, Weapons Bust

COVENTRY, RI —Three people are facing charges after police found more than 500 marijuana plants, over a dozen guns and crystal meth.

Members of the Rhode Island State Police High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force searched houses in Coventry, Warwick, Providence and Lincoln, and seized 516 marijuana plants, 139 pounds of harvested marijuana, 22.5 pounds of butane honey oil, more than $87,000 in cash, 13 guns, 120 vape pens and crystal meth, as well as processing and growing equipment.

Three people — Alfred Ancone, 34, of Coventry, Thomas Moulton, of Warwick and Michael Vitone, of Providence — were charged following the search of their homes. They were charged with the following.

Ancone

• Possession with the intent to deliver a schedule i controlled substance — marijuana
• Possession with the intent to deliver marijuana in excess of 5 kilograms
• Controlled substance conspiracy
• Possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation, six counts

Moulton

• Possession with the intent to deliver a schedule I controlled substance – marijuana
• Possession with the intent to deliver marijuana in excess of 5 kilograms
• Manufacturing a schedule I controlled substance- marijuana butane hash oil
• Possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation, seven counts.
• Possession of a controlled substance-crystal methamphetamine

Vitone

• Possession with the intent to deliver a schedule I controlled substance — marijuana
• Possession with the intent to deliver marijuana in excess of 5 kilograms
• Controlled substance conspiracy
• Possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation (6 counts).

All three were arraigned in 3rd division district court and ordered held without bail pending a status hearing next week, according to state police.