KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Surveillance by the Lake County Narcotics Task Force led on Thursday to the arrest of a Kelseyville man, as well as the seizure of more than 700 marijuana plants, 39 pounds of processed marijuana, a loaded gun and $37,330 cash.
Angel Lemus Torres, 26, was taken into custody during the operation, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The agency said that on Thursday Narcotics Task Force detectives were near a large marijuana grow located at 5555 Konocti Road in Kelseyville when they observed a white-colored Toyota Tacoma truck near the grow site.
While conducting surveillance of the area the Toyota truck drove past, according to the report. Detectives caught up to the truck and conducted a traffic enforcement stop for vehicle code violations, at which time they contacted and interviewed Torres, the driver and sole occupant of the truck.
Torres told detectives that he was a Proposition 215 patient and had a recommendation to grow 99 marijuana plants. He said that the Konocti Road grow site was his, officials reported.
There were three other subjects at the grow site who worked with Torres and were involved in growing the marijuana. He did not personally use all of the marijuana produced by the plants, according to the sheriff's office.
What he didn’t use, he sold for $1000 per pound, according to statements he made to detectives. He and his partners split the profits from selling the marijuana. Torres estimated that they would each make $30,000 from the marijuana produced at the grow site.
Torres was found to be in possession of $10,330 cash. Additionally, he was an outstanding suspect in a marijuana grow site that was raided by detectives on June 4 in Clearlake Oaks, where 655 marijuana plants were eradicated. The sheriff's office said Torres admitted to being involved in that operation as well.
While two detectives were interviewing Torres, other detectives conducting surveillance of the Konocti Road grow site reported that they observed several subjects run from the area. Detectives were not able to locate the subjects who fled, officials said.
The sheriff's office said detectives later served a search warrant at the Konocti Road grow site. There, they eradicated more than 700 marijuana plants and seized 39 pounds of processed marijuana, a loaded .223 caliber rifle, and $27,000 cash. Detectives also located two 55 gallon barrels full of cut marijuana that needed to be trimmed.
Torres was booked in the Hill Road Correctional Facility for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of a weapon in the commission of a felony. He also is being held on a $25,000 bail and an immigration detainer, officials reported.