Full Notification

(San Andreas, CA) Beginning on 7/9/18, The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office along with the California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force and several cooperating agencies began serving a series of criminal search warrants throughout Calaveras County. The search warrants were part of a month’s long operation into the illegal cultivation of marijuana/cannabis and directly associated environmental crimes.

This operation demonstrates the cooperation between allied agencies working together in a concerted effort along with the California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force to investigate for prosecution those persons or organizations responsible for committing criminal acts and environmental damage in Calaveras County with far reaching effects to the state’s most valuable resources such as land and water.

As previously noted in other investigations, due to the nature of our watershed systems in Calaveras County, the environmental damage that begins in the mountains and foothills of Calaveras County has significant impacts into other portions of California, including the Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area. Specifically, the Mokelumne River Watershed leads directly into East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) reservoirs which are the water source for millions of California residents. The area of this operation also included the Stanislaus River drainage system which affects millions of residents and agricultural water in the Central Valley and beyond.

A significant number of environmental crimes were located. The environmental crimes found include but are not limited to damage to the watersheds and waterways.
Search Warrant Locations
• 600 block of Ealey Rd, Glencoe
­ 736 Marijuana Plants, 100.6 lbs. Processed Marijuana, 198 lbs. of Cannabis Edibles, & 1 Firearm
• 6900 and 7100 block of Cedar Springs Rd, Mountain Ranch
­ 16,744 Marijuana Plants & 10 lbs. Processed Marijuana
• 5100 block of Hawver Rd, Mokelumne Hill
­ 1206 Marijuana Plants, 4 lbs. Processed Marijuana, $3,580 in Cash,
8 Firearms, & 2 Citations were issued
• 6000 block of Hawver Rd, Mokelumne Hill
­ Butane Honey Oil Lab, 197 Marijuana Plants, 2 Citations were issued
• 2200 block of Gold Strike Rd, San Andreas
­ Butane Honey Oil Lab, 2569 Marijuana Plants, 1718 lbs. Processed Marijuana, 5.31 lbs. of Concentrated Marijuana, & 9 Grams of Methamphetamine
• 7300 block Schaad Rd, Wilseyville
­ 388 Marijuana Plants, 1 Arrest, & 2 Firearms
• 1300 block of Higdon Rd, West Point
­ 2,659 Marijuana Plants
• 10700 block of Walker Trail Rd, Copperopolis
­ 1933 Marijuana Plants, 1 Citation issued
• 9800 block of Smokey Ridge Rd, Sheep Ranch
­ Butane Honey Oil Lab, 3lbs. Processed Marijuana
• 6300 block of Mountain Ranch Rd, Mountain Ranch
­ 164 Marijuana Plants, 212.99 lbs. Processed Marijuana, 1 Citation issued
• 13500 block of Jesus Maria Rd, Mountain Ranch
­ 1 Marijuana Plant, 5 lbs. Processed Marijuana, Site was abandoned on entry
Operation Totals
Marijuana Plants: 26,597
Processed Marijuana: 1,832.22 lbs.
Concentrated Marijuana: 5.31 lbs.
Other Drugs: 9 grams Methamphetamine
Firearms: 11
Money: $3,580
Arrests/Citations: 7
Cases Referred to the District Attorney for prosecution: 14

This operation’s criminal cases will be sent to the Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

The Sheriff’s Office regular PIO Sergeant Rachelle Whiting is unavailable this week and will be unavailable for follow-up questions and requests regarding this event. The Sheriff of Calaveras County Rick DiBasilio will be the point of contact for press or media questions regarding this event.
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