STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) – Sterling Heights police say three people are facing numerous felony charges after binding several teen boys with duct tape and assaulting them in the basement of a home.

On Monday, police responded to a home in the 13000 block of Canal around 1:45 pm, after dispatch received a call from a mother who reported that her 16-year-old son had been assaulted.

The subsequent investigation by uniform officers and detectives took them to where the story began.

A homeowner on Canal, who has a medical marijuana grow operation in place, told investigating officers his home was burglarized several days ago, although he never reported it to the police.

“They have, from my understanding, the cards issued by the state that allows them to [grow marijuana], but the burglary, from what we understand, was an attempt to go in and steal some of the marijuana,” Police Lt. Luke Riley said.

The homeowner told police he heard that several 15- to 16-year-old males, who live outside the city and attend Dakota High School, were responsible.

According to Riley, the homeowner had his teenage son, who knows the juveniles, invite them to the house under the pretense that if they would get an ounce of marijuana for free.

Once the juveniles were there, the homeowner and two 45-year-old men took them into the basement and bound the teens with duct tape.

Police said the men pistol whipped one of the juveniles and struck the teens with the scabbard of a samurai sword.

The three men also threatened to cut off the teens’ fingers and toes with a circular power saw while they held it next to one victims’ face as it was running.

A total of six juveniles came to the residence in two groups. Two of the juveniles were able to flee before being abducted, one of whom called his mother, who contacted the police.

One of the juveniles suffered a possible broken arm and the other three had less serious injuries, consisting of bruises, contusions and lacerations.

All three men are in custody and are facing numerous felony charges, the extent of which will be determined after the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office reviews the file on Wednesday.