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Officials fear violence growing with marijuana farming
Body found in Lake County, shootings in Mendocino County likely linked to pot gardens
By DEREK J. MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, September 8, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 8, 2008 at 5:45 a.m.
A body discovered in an outdoor pot garden in Lake County may signal growing violence at illegal marijuana farms, a worrisome trend as the harvest season gets under way.
Lake County sheriff's detectives found the partially decomposed body last week in a shallow grave on the side of Cobb Mountain, along with 20,000 marijuana plants and a group of possibly armed men.
Detectives found a sawed-off shotgun near the man's body, but are awaiting results of an autopsy, scheduled for today, to determine whether he had been shot.
The apparent slaying follows a month in which two men were shot in Mendocino County in suspected marijuana cases. And just a week ago, hunters in Knights Valley in Sonoma County ran into a suspected pot grower on private land and held him at gunpoint until authorities arrived and arrested the man.
Based on the increasing number of firearms found during marijuana raids, combined with the rapid proliferation of pot gardens on public lands throughout the state, authorities fear the situation is becoming more volatile.
That's underscored by the discovery of the body in Lake County, the first time authorities have uncovered an apparent slaying at a pot garden.
It's hard to say whether these cases reflect an actual uptick in violence at marijuana farms. Pot growers and their associates, many of them believed to be affiliates of Mexican drug cartels, are usually not keen on calling the police to report crime.
"I've never heard of a murdered body in a marijuana garden," said Holly Swartz, special agent for the state Department of Justice and a spokeswoman for the state's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting.
In July, Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a suspected pot grower during a raid on an operation in the Saratoga hills. Another suspected grower was killed by San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies last September.
The recent violence on the North Coast exposes the risks growers face from "patch pirates," who often are armed and give little thought to opening fire in places far from where the sound might otherwise raise an alarm.
Some growers are choosing to process their marijuana on site, making their operations even more attractive to would-be thieves, said Sonoma County sheriff's Sgt. Chris Bertoli.
"The work's already done," he said.
Statewide, drug enforcement officials said they've seen a major increase in illicit pot farms, particularly in remote national forests where large crops are hard to spot and where drug traffickers can avoid having their own land or assets seized.
"The drive can be as much as four hours just to get to these operations," Swartz said.
For processing, Swartz said growers simply trim the bud from the main plant and hang it to dry. The finished product is hauled out in small plastic bags or burlap sacks.
Lake County sheriff's Capt. James Bauman said the buried body and illegal pot garden might never have been discovered if not for a tip forwarded from another law enforcement agency.
Santa Rosa police contacted Lake County authorities to report the possible homicide of a Windsor man who had been reported missing.
That led detectives to search rugged terrain near Highway 175 south of Socrates Mine Road, where they confronted several suspects they feared might be armed, Bauman said.
The suspects ran off into the woods, prompting an overnight search conducted by members of the sheriff's SWAT team with air support by the CHP.
The following morning, authorities detained two men who were spotted running along Highway 175. They believe one of them threw a 9 mm handgun onto the road.
Bauman said the two men admitted to knowing about the garden, and one of them led detectives to the body.
The names of the suspects have not been released. They were arrested for suspected cultivation of marijuana and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Bauman referred to these men as "desperadoes," and said he's concerned by their violent tendencies.
The pot garden where the man was killed is on private property, not far from where people live, Bauman said.
"It's not only dangerous for those of us who do the eradication and investigation, but it's certainly dangerous to have this activity conducted in such close proximity to residential areas," he said.
In the Mendocino County cases, one man was shot in Talmage on Aug. 21 following an argument over a marijuana garden. The victim and another man were walking on Talmage Road east of Ukiah when the suspect approached and fired, authorities said.
Then on Aug. 31, a 21-year-old Montana man was shot in the back and shoulder in Willits while he helped a friend take care of marijuana plants.
The victim told authorities the pair had walked into a marijuana garden they were tending on Blackhawk Drive and discovered another man there. An argument ensued, leading to the victim being shot with a small-caliber handgun.
No arrests have been made in either case.
Body found in Lake County, shootings in Mendocino County likely linked to pot gardens
By DEREK J. MOORE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, September 8, 2008 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 8, 2008 at 5:45 a.m.
A body discovered in an outdoor pot garden in Lake County may signal growing violence at illegal marijuana farms, a worrisome trend as the harvest season gets under way.
Lake County sheriff's detectives found the partially decomposed body last week in a shallow grave on the side of Cobb Mountain, along with 20,000 marijuana plants and a group of possibly armed men.
Detectives found a sawed-off shotgun near the man's body, but are awaiting results of an autopsy, scheduled for today, to determine whether he had been shot.
The apparent slaying follows a month in which two men were shot in Mendocino County in suspected marijuana cases. And just a week ago, hunters in Knights Valley in Sonoma County ran into a suspected pot grower on private land and held him at gunpoint until authorities arrived and arrested the man.
Based on the increasing number of firearms found during marijuana raids, combined with the rapid proliferation of pot gardens on public lands throughout the state, authorities fear the situation is becoming more volatile.
That's underscored by the discovery of the body in Lake County, the first time authorities have uncovered an apparent slaying at a pot garden.
It's hard to say whether these cases reflect an actual uptick in violence at marijuana farms. Pot growers and their associates, many of them believed to be affiliates of Mexican drug cartels, are usually not keen on calling the police to report crime.
"I've never heard of a murdered body in a marijuana garden," said Holly Swartz, special agent for the state Department of Justice and a spokeswoman for the state's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting.
In July, Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a suspected pot grower during a raid on an operation in the Saratoga hills. Another suspected grower was killed by San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies last September.
The recent violence on the North Coast exposes the risks growers face from "patch pirates," who often are armed and give little thought to opening fire in places far from where the sound might otherwise raise an alarm.
Some growers are choosing to process their marijuana on site, making their operations even more attractive to would-be thieves, said Sonoma County sheriff's Sgt. Chris Bertoli.
"The work's already done," he said.
Statewide, drug enforcement officials said they've seen a major increase in illicit pot farms, particularly in remote national forests where large crops are hard to spot and where drug traffickers can avoid having their own land or assets seized.
"The drive can be as much as four hours just to get to these operations," Swartz said.
For processing, Swartz said growers simply trim the bud from the main plant and hang it to dry. The finished product is hauled out in small plastic bags or burlap sacks.
Lake County sheriff's Capt. James Bauman said the buried body and illegal pot garden might never have been discovered if not for a tip forwarded from another law enforcement agency.
Santa Rosa police contacted Lake County authorities to report the possible homicide of a Windsor man who had been reported missing.
That led detectives to search rugged terrain near Highway 175 south of Socrates Mine Road, where they confronted several suspects they feared might be armed, Bauman said.
The suspects ran off into the woods, prompting an overnight search conducted by members of the sheriff's SWAT team with air support by the CHP.
The following morning, authorities detained two men who were spotted running along Highway 175. They believe one of them threw a 9 mm handgun onto the road.
Bauman said the two men admitted to knowing about the garden, and one of them led detectives to the body.
The names of the suspects have not been released. They were arrested for suspected cultivation of marijuana and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Bauman referred to these men as "desperadoes," and said he's concerned by their violent tendencies.
The pot garden where the man was killed is on private property, not far from where people live, Bauman said.
"It's not only dangerous for those of us who do the eradication and investigation, but it's certainly dangerous to have this activity conducted in such close proximity to residential areas," he said.
In the Mendocino County cases, one man was shot in Talmage on Aug. 21 following an argument over a marijuana garden. The victim and another man were walking on Talmage Road east of Ukiah when the suspect approached and fired, authorities said.
Then on Aug. 31, a 21-year-old Montana man was shot in the back and shoulder in Willits while he helped a friend take care of marijuana plants.
The victim told authorities the pair had walked into a marijuana garden they were tending on Blackhawk Drive and discovered another man there. An argument ensued, leading to the victim being shot with a small-caliber handgun.
No arrests have been made in either case.
