Mar 3, 2016 2 min read

When North Strabane Township police were called to a parking garage at The Meadows Casino Thursday morning, officers thought they were investigating a report of a child left inside a vehicle.

But police ended up arresting three West Virginia men and confiscating marijuana, morphine pills, a 9 mm handgun, brass knuckles and a telescoping baton.

Arrested were Frankie Joe Butler, 28, his brother, Brandon Butler, 18, and Jeffrey Norris, 18, all of Clarksburg.

When police arrived at the garage just after 7 a.m., they found Brandon Butler, Norris and a third person inside a pickup truck. Butler told officers his brother was inside of the casino. Police said they could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the truck. Norris reportedly turned over a bag of marijuana and a pipe. Brandon Butler was taken into custody after police said he was found to have a bag of marijuana and brass knuckles on the seat next to him.

When police asked Brandon Butler if there was any other contraband or weapons in the truck, they said the 18-year-old responded his brother had a gun and other items under the front seat. Officer Michael Lukanski located a Kel-Tec 9 mm handgun with a loaded nine-round magazine next to it. While retrieving the weapon, Lukanski reportedly found four small plastic bags in the open center console, along with a pill bottle. Police said each bag contained 10 Bupremorphone pills.

As Frankie Butler came out of the casino, police said they saw he had a collapsible baton in a holder on his right hip. Lukanski asked him if he had a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon, and Butler said he did not. He also admitted the pills found in the console belonged to him, police said.

All three were arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller. Norris is charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Brandon Butler is charged with possession of marijuana and having a prohibited offensive weapon. They were placed in Washington County jail on $3,000 bonds.

Frankie Butler is charged with firearms not to be carried without a license, having a prohibited offensivee weapon and possession and possession with intent to deliver morphine. He was placed in jail on $30,000 bond.

All three were released from jail minutes after posting their respective bonds.

They will face March 15 hearings before Weller.