LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Wednesday vehicle stop led to a search warrant service at a Clearlake dispensary, the seizure of approximately 49 pounds of processed marijuana and two arrests, with one of those arrested being the owner.
On Wednesday sheriff's deputies arrested 33-year-old Jason Daniel Jones of Hidden Valley Lake and Brandon Keith Givens, 21, of Clearlake, according to a report from Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
At 9:20 a.m. Wednesday a patrol deputy working the Lower Lake area was stopped at the intersection of Spruce Grove Road and Highway 29 when he noticed a Chevy pickup traveling northbound on Highway 29 without a front license plate and illegal window tinting. Brooks said the deputy also noticed the pickup was following too close to a vehicle in front of it.
The deputy conducted an enforcement stop and as he was walking up to the vehicle, he smelled the odor of marijuana. He contacted driver, who was identified as Jones, and explained the reason for the vehicle stop. Brooks said when the deputy mentioned the window tinting, Jones said he has argued this issue before, so he was not worried about it.
The deputy returned to his patrol car in order to check Jones’ driving status through Central Dispatch. A K9 unit arrived to assist and deployed his canine partner to conduct a sniff of the vehicle, Brooks said.
As the dog approached the passenger’s door of the vehicle, she produced a positive alert, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present. Brooks said the deputy conducted a search of the vehicle and located a black plastic garbage bag, which contained four individually packaged clear plastic bags containing marijuana.
Jones told the deputies the garbage bag contained approximately 4 pounds of marijuana, which was his and he was transporting it to sell through the D&M Compassion Center in Clearlake, Brooks said.
Brooks said Jones explained he is the owner of the business and buys marijuana at this time of the year, so he can sell it back to his members the following year. Jones said he has approximately 3,000 members for his collective/compassion center, and he admitted to possessing the marijuana to sell for $2,500 per pound.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force Detectives secured the store front, which is located in the 14000 block of Olympic Drive in Clearlake, while obtaining a search warrant. Shortly after, a search warrant was obtained and served at the business, according to Brooks.
Detectives contacted an employee, identified as Givens, who Brooks said was in direct possession of five 1-pound bags of processed marijuana which he admitted was possessed for sale.
A total of approximately 49 pounds of packaged, processed marijuana and approximately 30 growing marijuana plants were located within the business, Brooks said. Additionally, several business ledgers were located showing detailed for profit sales were occurring at the location.
While conducting the search, detectives encountered several subjects arriving at the marijuana store to either sell marijuana they possessed or to collect money Jones owed them for previous marijuana sales. Jones, who said he was running a collective, was purchasing marijuana from nonmembers to sell, Brooks said.
The additional subjects were identified as 35-year-old Jamil Usman of Lower Lake, and Clearlake residents Joel Zeigler, 41; Christopher Begley, 36, and 50-year-old Michael Edward Bergin. Brooks said a criminal complaint for the additional subjects will be sought for violations of possessing marijuana for sale and the transportation of marijuana.
Narcotics detectives determined that Jones was working outside state law and making a profit. He told detectives that he would purchase the marijuana for $1,000 to $1,800 a pound and then sell it back to his members for $2,500 per pound, according to Brooks.
As a result of this investigation, Brooks said Jones was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sale and the transportation of marijuana. Givens was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sale. Both Jones and Givens were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.