LAKEPORT, Calif. – A father and son from Illinois have been arrested for running what authorities say was a sophisticated marijuana concentrate lab in a storage unit in Lakeport.
Jeffrey Shane Oliver, 50, and his son Timothy Jeffrey Oliver, 20, of Machesney Park, Ill., were arrested on Thursday after the lab was discovered by authorities, according to Sgt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
At approximately 1:20 p.m. Thursday detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit served a search warrant at a storage unit within the Gateway Business Complex, located at 765 Bevins Street in Lakeport, Paulich said.
He said the sheriff’s office had received reports regarding a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the unit.
Upon service of the warrant, detectives found the lab, which was utilizing dry ice and acetone, a flammable dangerous chemical, Paulich said.
Paulich said the Olivers were contacted and detained at the scene. Both men were actively operating the lab.
The lab consisted of commercial grade lab equipment and glassware along with four 55 gallon drums of acetone totaling 220 gallons, Paulich said.
He said the Olivers had not taken the most basic safety precautions to avoid a fire and were not wearing protective clothing.
The Olivers were using the commercial lab to extract concentrated cannabis. Paulich said they also were planning to sell vape pen cartridges illegally.
Paulich said a total of approximately 70 pounds of processed marijuana shake was located and numerous jars of final product were seized.
The Olivers were placed under arrest and booked at the Lake County Jail for manufacture of a controlled substance. Jeffrey Oliver also was booked for employing a subject under 21 in a marijuana sales operation, Paulich reported.
Bail for each of the men was set at $100,000. Paulich said they subsequently posted bail and were released from custody on Friday.
Jeffrey Oliver, whose booking sheet lists his occupation as “chemist,” is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Sept. 12, the same date as his son, whose occupation is reported as unemployed in jail records.
Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit busts marijuana concentrate lab; two arrested
- Lake County News reports
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