DOUGLAS CITY – On November 29, 2018, California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens assisted the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office in serving a search warrant at a property in Douglas City. The warrant was the result of an investigation into an illegal marijuana cultivation business busted three days earlier in Weaverville.
On November 26th, deputies served two search warrants in Weaverville, arresting Christopher Carson, 44, originally from Ohio, on drug and weapons charges. During the first search warrant served, deputies seized 500 pounds of processed marijuana, 8.24 pounds of concentrated cannabis, and more than $25, 000 in cash. The second search warrant led to the seizure of $6,000 in cash, three pounds of processed marijuana, 10 firearms, two of which were rifles with high capacity magazines that are illegal to possess in California.
Following the November 26th bust, wardens and deputies travelled to Douglas City to search a property where they seized 1,351 marijuana plants and a loaded handgun.
Neither Carson or the owners of the properties involved were listed in the Trinity County cannabis permitting system.
“Illegal cannabis cultivation operations often violate environmental laws and building codes,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “CDFW wardens can assist local law enforcement officials with uncovering the diversion of natural water flows and the harm being done to the environment and fish and wildlife. During this investigation, law enforcement officers encountered numerous weapons, highlighting the danger of their jobs. I am thankful they returned from these sites unharmed.”
