CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Fresno County man driving a U-Haul van was arrested Sunday night after Lake County Sheriff's deputies found 256 pounds of processed marijuana in the vehicle.
Jorge Jerson Tellez, 21, of Reedley was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sales and the transportation of marijuana, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
At 10:15 p.m. Sunday a sheriff's patrol deputy was traveling eastbound on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks when he observed a U-Haul box van – which also was traveling eastbound – cross over both of the double yellow lines. Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 20 and Keys Boulevard.
The deputy contacted the driver, identified as Tellez, and as they were speaking the deputy could smell the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, according to Brooks. The deputy asked why it smelled like marijuana in the vehicle and Tellez showed the deputy a partially smoked marijuana cigarette.
Brooks said the deputy asked what was in the back of the U-Haul and Tellez said boxes. When asked what was inside the boxes, Tellez told the deputy, “Bud.”
Deputies conducted a search of the cargo area and located nine large plastic containers and several large black garbage bags, all containing processed marijuana, Brooks said.
He said the deputies also located a duffel bag which contained 11 vacuum sealed bags of marijuana. Each vacuum sealed bag contained approximately 2 pounds of processed marijuana.
In addition, the deputies located a suitcase which contained nine plastic bags, each containing approximately 1 pound of processed marijuana, Brooks said.
The marijuana from the U-Haul was seized and later weighed. The packaged, processed marijuana had a total gross weight of 44.2 pounds. The loose processed marijuana in the plastic containers had a gross bulk weight of 212.5 pounds for a total combined weight of 256.7 pounds, according to Brooks.
Tellez was arrested and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, where he was booked. Brooks said Tellez remained in custody Monday evening, with his bail set at $20,000.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.