Complaints to law enforcement led to a stash of stolen firearms and nearly 10 pounds of high-grade marijuana.

This week, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit investigators arrested Kendall Jermaine Warren, 35, and Naikira Speller, 26, both of 215 Springs Road in Washington. Warren was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to store and sell a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by felon and possession of drug paraphernalia; Speller was charged with of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Ernie Coleman said the investigation came from complaints from concerned parents and citizens about the sales of marijuana to teenagers in Beaufort County. Investigators made some controlled buys from Warren, and realized he was using his brother’s Steeplechase Road home to hide his marijuana stash. Search warrants executed at both properties turned up one pound of marijuana and a pistol at the Springs Road address; eight pounds of marijuana, an AK47 rifle, three shotguns, a 22-caliber rifle and four more pistols at the Steeplechase Road residence, according to the release.

“Three of them were stolen,” said Lt. Russell Davenport, head of the drug unit, adding that it’s common for dealers to have weapons. “We know people involved in the distribution of drugs protect their product with firearms. We hear about it all the time on the street about people getting robbed, but they don’t report it. They use firearms to protect themselves.”

Davenport said the marijuana was worth approximately $36,000.

“As the result of this investigation, not only was a large amount of marijuana seized, but just as important, there were several dangerous weapons removed from the streets that were recovered from break-ins. This shows that even marijuana is still a factor and contributes to the war on drugs and drug crimes in Beaufort County,” Coleman said in the press release.

Warren was held at the Beaufort County Detention Center under a $50,000 secured bond; Speller, an $8,000 secure bond. At the time of his arrest, Warren was on probation for another felony marijuana possession charge.

“There’s probably going to be some more charges later on — the investigation is still ongoing,” Davenport said.