GREENE – A Greene man was arrested for criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree, a class D felony, the misdemeanor of unlawful growth of cannabis, and the misdemeanor of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree after troopers responding to a welfare check discovered nine marijuana plants and over seven pounds of dried marijuana, troopers announced Tuesday.

Christopher J. Phillips, 51, of Greene was arrested by New York State Police on March 30 after troopers were dispatched to a residence to check on the welfare of a female and, upon being invited into the residence, discovered several marijuana plants in plain sight.

NYSP Troop C Public Information Officer Aga Dembinska said the welfare check came after a female at the residence had been on the phone with a relative and was crying before terminating the phone call. The relative then called state police and requested they check on the female to ensure she was okay.

"[Troopers] went to go check and they knocked on the door and that person said, 'Well, come on in.' And that's where they observed a couple plants growing in several small containers on the table in front of the door," said Dembinska.