On December 28th, 2024, Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputies assisted the California Highway Patrol with a suspicious vehicle in the 6000 block of Michel Road. Upon arrival, two vehicles were located in the middle of the road, with one of them being unoccupied. That vehicle was subsequently towed from the scene, and the other had a male subject inside. The male later left the scene but was re-contacted by Deputies several hours later due to vehicle code violations. During the second contact, (4) additional male subjects from Richmond, California, were inside the vehicle.
During the investigation, it was discovered that numerous 55-gallon trash bags containing marijuana were in the back compartment of the vehicle. The marijuana was inspected and determined to have an approximate weight of 180 lbs. The marijuana plants were still wrapped in white netting and also had numerous blue clips attached. Based on the observations, it was believed that this marijuana was recently cut down and taken without permission. Burglary tools, face masks, and a scale were also in the vehicle.
Based on the nature of the initial contact near the 6200 block of Michel Road, Deputies responded back to the area to investigate further. They located a residence with a large metal shop with fresh pry marks on the door frame leading inside. Deputies subsequently searched the property after determining a fresh burglary had just occurred. It was during this sweep of the property that it was determined that the interior portion of the shop was built out to house an indoor, illegal marijuana operation.
The Marijuana Enforcement Unit was advised of the findings and authored a search warrant for the property. The secondary investigation confirmed that the location was illegally cultivating marijuana at the time of this investigation.
A total of four rooms contained marijuana, which Deputies eradicated within the large metal shop. Each room contained actively growing marijuana plants in various growth stages. Deputies seized 792 actively growing marijuana plants with an estimated value exceeding $315,000. Roughly 180 pounds of processed marijuana was also located inside the suspect’s vehicle, which has an estimated value exceeding $72,000. Additional evidence was collected at the scene, and the investigation is ongoing.
The suspects in this case were charged with various crimes to include H&S 11357(a), H&S 11359(B) PC 182(a)(1) CVC 21460(a) and PC 466.
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