Full Notification

Public Information Release
July 20, 2012
Sergeant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer


The compliance checks of several marijuana grow sites in the Middletown area on Thursday has resulted in two arrests and the seizure of 399 marijuana plants.

On July 19, 2012 the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force along with personnel from Lake County Code Enforcement conducted marijuana compliance checks on six locations in the Middletown and Lower Lake area. As a result, 399 marijuana plants were eradicated and seized. The seized marijuana was located on property with no structures. Three other residences were warned that they were out of compliance. They were given a 48 hour notice by Lake County Code Enforcement to remove the excessive plants. The first residence had 84 marijuana plants. The second residence had 80 marijuana plants and the third residence had 90 marijuana plants.

The suspects that were arrested were located at an address on Saint Helena Creek Road in Middletown. When Detectives arrived, they located 30 year old Michael Joseph Simon and 41 year old Peter Jefferson Wainwright, who are both from Santa Rosa. They each stated they were growing medical marijuana for patients from the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, as well as for themselves. They told detectives that they had approximately 300 marijuana plants growing on the property.

There was no residence on the property and both suspects appeared to be staying in a motor home. Detectives located 303 marijuana plants inside a large metal fenced compound. A water line was followed from the compound several hundred yards to a well, which had been illegally drilled next to a spring. A large hole was located near the motor home where the suspects had been dumping human waste. Both Simon and Wainwright consented to a search of their motor home where detectives located a 40 caliber semi auto pistol and a substantial amount of methadone. Neither Simon nor Wainwright had a prescription for the methadone. Both subjects were arrested for possession of a controlled substance cultivation of marijuana, and being armed while committing a drug offense. Both were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force will continue its efforts to eradicate narcotics from the communities of Lake County and seize the suspected profits of drug trafficking for the asset forfeiture whenever possible. Anyone with information that can assist the Task Force with this effort is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 263-3663