Lake County Sheriff's deputies and officers with the California Department of Justice's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting found these weapons located in the marijuana grow near Middletown, Calif., on Tuesday, August 10, 2010. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Local and state officials found another illegal marijuana grow this week totaling thousands of plants, with the additional discovery of weapons.

Sgt. Brian Martin of the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported that sheriff's deputies along with law

enforcement officials from the California Department of Justice's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) team continued their investigation into illegal cultivation of marijuana operations in Lake County.

In the area of Socrates Mine Road and Ford Flat Road between Middletown and Cobb, they discovered an illegal marijuana garden containing over 10,000 marijuana plants, Martin said.

The location of this marijuana garden was eight-tenths of a mile away from another marijuana garden in which an armed suspect was shot and killed by a deputy six days earlier, according to Martin.

That suspect, Martin said, was identified by family members on Tuesday as Juan Sanchez Corona, 51, of Michoacán, Mexico.

Also discovered in the garden that was located on Tuesday were several firearms, which Martin said were located in concealed locations in and around the garden.

Officials discovered that all of the firearms were loaded, and there was extra ammunition located at

the site for all of the weapons. Martin said the weapons included three shotguns, one of which had a

pistol grip, an assault rifle with a scope, and another rifle.

The investigation also revealed a night vision scope that has the ability to project an infrared beam. This type of device allows the user to broadcast light that is invisible to the naked eye, but allows anyone equipped with a night vision device to see just as clearly as if a spotlight were being used, Martin said.

Martin said they found at the campsite ammunition for two other caliber firearms which weren't located. The ammunition in question is the type most commonly used for handguns.

Officials discovered three unoccupied tents in and around the garden. Martin said they also found recent footprints, and determined that the marijuana plants had been watered within hours of their arrival.

The garden was located on a remote portion of a large parcel of private property. Martin said the

owner of the property is not suspected of being involved.

Law enforcement officials are investigating the possibility that the persons responsible for this marijuana garden are connected to the marijuana garden located on Aug. 4, Martin said.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reminds all people that access remote lands to be mindful and vigilant of these illegal marijuana operations.

If you come across such an operation, you are urged to immediately back out of the area and notify the sheriff’s office.

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