Cops: Officers invited into home make marijuana bust

A South Hempstead man was arrested in a marijuana bust Sunday night after he invited police into his home while he retrieved his motor vehicle registration -- and the officers said they smelled pot and saw a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia in plain sight.

Jonathan Moreno, 24, of 567 Stratford Rd., was charged with second-degree criminal possession of marijuana, police said.

Officers on burglary patrol at 8:30 p.m. saw Moreno looking into a 2005 Toyota parked outside the house and said Moreno told the officers the vehicle was his -- and that he had identification and registration information inside his home, Nassau County police said. Moreno "told the detectives they could accompany him inside his residence to retrieve identification and show proof that he owned the vehicle," police said.

The detectives did, and when they entered the home police said they "detected a strong odor of marijuana" and "observed in plain view a digital scale, heat sealer, a marijuana pipe, and a plastic bag containing marijuana."

A further investigation uncovered 6 pounds of marijuana, a money counter and $26,915 in cash, police said.

Police said Moreno faces arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead.