LORAIN — The Lorain County Drug Task Force has raided a Lorain home and hauled its owner out in handcuffs.

They also spent about two hours packing up the supplies for his marijuana growing operation, including lighting, fans, a humidifier, chemicals, fans and even a vacuum sealer they say comprised three “drug houses” within his home.

The person arrested was the homeowner of 341 Root Road in Lorain, near the border with Sheffield Lake. He lived alone, according to sheriff’s deputies.

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Neighbors referred to him as “Mark” and said he had lived there about 10 to 12 years, had built his own home from the ground up and was a brick layer by trade who had worked on many homes along the street. The Lorain County Auditor’s Web site lists the homeowner as Mark J. Gorta.

The Lorain County Drug Task Force, comprised mainly of sheriff’s deputies, hauled out about 15 to 20 fully grown marijuana plants, which they said were valued at about $1,000 apiece. They also found about 10 more marijuana plants in various stages of growth. They said the marijuana he was growing would be considered high grade.

Deputies said they would classify him as a low-to-above-average home grower and expected him to face felony charges of marijuana cultivation, among other charges.

“It wasn’t like he was dealing with a ton of people,” one deputy said. “He had a few steady customers.”

That sentiment was echoed by neighbors, who described him as “a nice guy” and said he mostly kept to himself.

One neighbor said he’d been inside his house recently and hadn’t noticed anything amiss or any funny smells. The marijuana smells were stifling as deputies hauled it out, though. Sheriff’s officers seemed to be having a tough time packing it all into the back of a county van, and kept the door open for ventilation ahead of their ride back.

A man who showed up as officers investigated said he was the homeowner’s brother and was allowed to take his dog with him.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.