After house fire, residents of Creston home face drug charges

More than flames were found Thursday after a house fire at 609 N. Chestnut St. in Creston.

Two of the home’s residents, Danny H. Patty Jr., 34, and Alley R. Butler, 26, were charged with maintaining a drug house or vehicle for controlled substance violation, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver - marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of child endangerment.

After the fire department extinguished the fire and left the scene, officers were contacted by Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, who own the rental property. Representatives who had been in the home assessing damage from the fire had located a bag in the living room containing, what they believed to be marijuana in plain view.

Officers met with the owners and viewed the bag, which contained multiple packages of a substance consistent with marijuana. A search warrant was then obtained for the property.

While conducting a search of the residence, two glass jars of marijuana were found in a bedroom used by Patty and Butler.

The bag found by the homeowner was then searched and was found to have a total of five separate packages of marijuana, a digital scale, grinder and an empty box of sandwich bags. Each of the five packages were marked with specific weights and names.

Numerous items of paraphernalia were located throughout the residence, including a bong found near the bag on the floor in the living room.

Butler’s two children reside in the home with she and Patty. Given the easily accessible locations both marijuana and paraphernalia were found, there was substantial risk to the health of both children.

Patty had already been taken into custody while officers were at the residence during the fire on active arrest warrants for failing to appear on drug and weapons charges in Scott County.

Patty told officers he just moved back into the home Monday and that all of his clothes and belongings were there and Butler is the listed renter with SIRHA.

Butler was transported to the Clarke County Jail and held on $11,300 cash or surety bond. Patty is being held on $6,005 cash only bond for Scott County and an additional $11,300 cash or surety bond for Thursday’s charges.