CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers have arrested five suspects believed to be involved in the commercial cultivation of marijuana and seized more than 3,000 marijuana plants.
Lt. Tim Celli said that the arrests resulted as a result of serving three search warrants earlier this week.
At 8 a.m. Monday teams of Clearlake Police officers served three search warrants in the 4700 block of Yarrington Court, Celli said.
At the first location, Celli said officers seized 2,375 marijuana plants from the outdoor grow site along with some indoor growing marijuana.
Several rooms inside the residence were set up for indoor growing, however, most of the marijuana plants were from a large outdoor grow. Celli said the entire front yard and surrounding side yard of the location was used as a grow site.
Replica firearms were discovered at this site, however, there were no actual firearms located, he said.
Celli said a suspect identified as Vicente Sanchez Montalvo, 21, was located inside the residence.
At the next location, officers seized 115 marijuana plants from a hoop house structure located in the property, Celli said.
Carlos Cabata Zazueta, 42, was located inside the residence. A realistic pellet rifle was observed in this property, however, no actual firearms were seized from this location, according to Celli.
At the third location, officers located Erik Felix, 20, and Manuel Felix, 32, Celli said.
Also located at this property were three hoop houses containing 588 marijuana plants. Celli said the hoop houses were set up for a light deprivation type growing operation used to accelerate the growth of the marijuana.
The marijuana plants located in these hoop houses were large some approximately 4 to 5 feet in height and were close to being at harvest stage with large marijuana buds, Celli said.
Celli said Erick Felix ultimately admitted that this grow site was his and that he came from Los Angeles to grow the marijuana approximately two months earlier.
According to Celli, the most concerning statement made by Eric Felix was that he claimed to have a .45 caliber firearm inside the residence. He described the firearm and the location it would be found, claiming that the weapon was registered to his girlfriend in Los Angeles.
Officers located the box for the firearm and a magazine to the firearm where Felix said it would be, however, no firearm was located. Felix could not explain what happened to the firearm, Celli said.
All five suspects were later transported and booked into the Lake County Jail for cultivation of marijuana, Celli said.
Celli said commercial marijuana growing in the city of Clearlake will not be tolerated. Suspects who choose to involve themselves in this illegal activity, subject themselves to arrest, prosecution and civil liability for environmental crimes.
The Clearlake Police Department will continue to actively investigate commercial marijuana growing operations in the city of Clearlake, Celli said.
Police make five arrests for Clearlake marijuana grows
- Lake County News reports
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