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Two arrested in grow house investigation on Westside

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Authorities arrested two people in connection with a grow house investigation on the Westside.

An Action News viewer sent photos of numerous marijuana plants on the front lawn of the home on Emma Oaks Lane, just off Normandy Boulevard near Chaffee Road.

Investigators ultimately seized 30 plants in the raid.

The investigation started when a concerned neighbor contacted the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Neighbors also said the couple put in about $20,000 worth of renovations to the home by knocking out walls and revamping the electrical system.  They also said they saw a delivery truck show up at the house once a week for the last six months.

The suspects have been identified as 32-year-old Melissa Cruz Dorta and 31-year-old Zeydel Curbelo Perdigon.

Both face charges of cultivating marijuana.

Gary, who lives nearby, did not want to show his face on camera. He did tell us about the raid he never saw coming.

"My daughter called me and said: hey look. They got the neighbor's house surrounded by the DEA," he explained.

Approximately 30 marijuana plants were recovered, all averaging over 6 feet tall. A large amount of cash and credit cards were also found.

Gary tells us Dorta and Perdigon are from out of the country. He said he knew something was fishy when they modified the inside of the home -- and had frequent visitors from south Florida.

Neighbors say one of the saddest parts of all this is that the home actually belongs to an active duty Navy family, who rents it out via a property management company while they are serving out West.

"He's serving his country while someone's growing weed in his home," Gary said.