- Lake County News reports
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Detectives make numerous arrests in connection to marijuana operation
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Several men were arrested last week during the service of a search warrant at a Clearlake property where an illegal marijuana grow was discovered.
On Friday, Nov. 2, Lake County Sheriff’s narcotics detectives served a search warrant at a residence located within the 3700 Block of Fillmore Ave. in Clearlake, according to Lt. Corey Paulich.
While making entry into the structure, Paulich said detectives contacted and detained six Hispanic male adults processing and trimming approximately 340 pounds of processed marijuana.
Paulich said the men were identified as Clearlake residents Edi Avila-Castaneda, 23; Alejandro Cortez-Cornejo, 24; Jose Trinidad Cruz-Solorio, 19; Edgar Garcia-Ramirez, 21; and Gilberto Ramirez-Pineda, 22; and Roberto Villasenor, 42 of Atwater.
Another man, Jesus Aleman-Sosa, 18, of Clearlake attempted to flee out of a bedroom window and was apprehended inside a marijuana hoop greenhouse in the backyard, Paulich said.
Detectives located a loaded AR-15 .223 caliber assault rifle in the only bedroom of the house along with body armor, a large quantity of high-capacity pistol and rifle magazines, Paulich said. Military clothing, equipment and firearm components, including two rifle suppressors, were also located.
Paulich said a sheriff’s office narcotics detection canine conducted a search of the residence and surrounding property, ultimately alerting to an area in the backyard near the two hoop style marijuana greenhouses.
He said then detectives then discovered a series of 4-inch PVC pipes buried vertically in the ground. Upon inspection of those pipes, detectives located approximately 4 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and half an ounce of black tar heroin.
The narcotics, along with a total of 238 growing marijuana plants and 340 pounds of processed marijuana, were seized from the property during the service of the warrant, Paulich said.
Paulich said all of the subjects were placed under arrest and booked at the Lake County Jail for violations of possession of controlled substance for sale, possession of narcotics for sale, possession of a controlled substance while armed, committing a felony while armed, cultivation of marijuana, and possession of marijuana for sale. All of them were later released after posting bail.