Murrieta Man Charged in Pot Grow, Sales After Dog Shot by Police

The Riverside County District Attorney's office has filed charges against the man whose dog was shot in March, which led to police finding an alleged pot grow inside his home.

Justin Armstrong, 25, was charged April 28 with two felonies--cultivating marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale--and a misdemeanor for theft of utility services.

A Murrieta police officer said he was forced to , a Dogo Argentino, when it got loose from Armstrong's rented home the morning of March 24 near Alta Murrieta Elementary School. The dog was shot in the jaw after a school bus driver called police dispatchers reporting a vicious dog on the loose. The officer was unable to create a safe distance between the dog, himself and another dog that was being walked by a resident, police said at the time. Attempts to leash the dog were unsuccessful, police said.

When the dog led officers back to Armstrong's home on Wild Flower Drive, they found an alleged marijuana grow and evidence that the weed allegedly was being sold, Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad said at the time of Armstrong's arrest. Officers also found evidence that electricity was allegedly being routed from a utility box to the home.

Armstrong presented a medical marijuana card to officers when he was arrested. Armstrong said he belonged to a medical marijuana collective in the area and that he was unaware he was doing anything wrong.

He said he was also unaware electricity was being routed to the home, as he said he had paid someone to set up the grow.

Armstrong's dog underwent surgery following the shooting, which racked up about $1,500 in veterinarian bills.

Armstrong is due in court May 27  for an arraignment. Except for a traffic violation, he has no prior record in Riverside County.