LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Narcotics detectives arrested a Clearlake Oaks man, seized 4,630 marijuana plants and approximately $50,780 following the service of multiple search warrants around the county that began last week.
Bobby Rex Goforth, 57, was arrested on June 6, according Sheriff's Lt. Steve Brooks.
On that day narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for a residence located in the 7000 block of Gross Road in Kelseyville, serving it shortly before 10:30 a.m. Brooks said detectives located and detained Goforth and 53-year-old Joy Alice Emry of Lakeport without incident.
Goforth told detectives that he was cultivating marijuana for a marijuana store front and received compensation for his time and expenses. Brooks said Goforth also said he had approximately 300 plants on the property and was unaware of the county code limiting the number of plants.
Detectives also spoke to Emry, who said she and Goforth were part of a co-op. She said they were growing marijuana for 17 people. Emry also said she was charging each person $100 per month for labor and expenses, according to Brooks.
Brooks said Emry estimated that each person would receive approximately 4 pounds of processed marijuana after the plants were harvested. Emry told detectives that if there was any marijuana left over, they were going to sell it to the store front.
During the search detectives located three large hoop-style greenhouses on the property. The greenhouses contained a total of 653 marijuana plants, which were eradicated, Brooks said. Detectives searched Goforth’s vehicle and located $8,590 cash, which was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
Brooks said detectives also found electrical bill receipts for an address located in the 1500 block of Martin Street in Lakeport and for an address located in the 4500 block of Eickhoff Road in Lakeport. While researching the Martin Street address, detectives learned Goforth also had property located in the 10000 block of Diener Circle in Lower Lake.
Detectives secured both the Diener Circle and the Martin Street properties, pending the application for a search warrant, which they obtained. Brooks said the detectives served both search warrants on June 6.
At the Diener Circle address, detectives located 10 large hoop-style greenhouses. The greenhouses contained marijuana in various stages of growth. Brooks said there also was an indoor marijuana grow in the garage of the residence.
Detectives eradicated 2,713 marijuana plants from the property. During a search of the residence, detectives located approximately 60 pounds of processed marijuana, approximately 7 pounds of honey oil, a butane hash lab and $42,190 cash. Brooks said the processed marijuana, honey oil and hash lab were seized as evidence and the money was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
During the search of the Martin Street address, detectives located a large indoor marijuana grow containing 741 marijuana plants in various stages of growth. There were also two large hoop-style greenhouses on the property, which Brooks said contained 333 flowering marijuana plants.
Detectives located 90 marijuana plants which were growing outside in pots on the property. A total of 1,164 marijuana plants were eradicated from the property. Inside the residence detective’s located two handguns and three rifles, which were seized as evidence, Brooks said.
On June 10, 2014 detectives secured a search warrant for the property located on Eickhoff Road in Lakeport, serving the warrant just after 12:30 p.m. that day, according to Brooks.
Brooks said they located three large hoop-style greenhouses on the property. During the search detectives located 17 flowering marijuana plants in one of the greenhouses and 83 marijuana plants which were growing outside. The other two greenhouses were empty and it appeared the plants had already been harvested.
Detectives located 10 pounds of processed marijuana which was seized as evidence and eradicated a total of 100 marijuana plants from the property, Brooks said.
Goforth was arrested for cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and manufacturing a controlled substance. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Brooks said.
Jail records showed that his bail was set at $100,000, with Goforth later posting the required percentage of bail in order to be released.
Brooks said detectives have submitted the report to the District Attorney’s Office for complaint against Emry and expect additional arrests as their investigation continues.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.