“Illegal marijuana cultivation operations can cause harm to our environments and fish and wildlife.  In addition, they compete on an illegal level with licensed cannabis operations that abide by State rules and regulations and pay taxes.  Investigating these illegal operations can be dangerous for those serving search warrants and we are grateful no one was injured during this investigation.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

LAYTONVILLE – On August 22, 2024, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint regarding an illegal marijuana cultivation operation in which the suspect was possibly diverting water from a neighboring parcel in the area of the 1200 block of Deer Trail Drive near Laytonville. During the investigation it was discovered that water was being diverted and used to cultivate a large marijuana grow in the immediate vicinity. Deputies verified that there were no local or state cannabis cultivation permits for the property.

After further investigation, a Mendocino County Superior County Court Judge signed a search warrant for the parcel. On September 4th, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office served the search warrant with assistance from California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens and environmental biologists.

During the service of the search warrant, three male subjects were contacted and detained, 909 marijuana plants were located in two different outdoor grows and 8 hoop houses, along with 143 pounds of untrimmed bud marijuana.  An unregistered 9-millimeter handgun was located and seized from a residence at the location.  There were six Fish & Wildlife violations observed during the service of the search warrant that included water diversion and water pollution in concert with the illegal marijuana cultivation.

Samuel Eder, 40, of Laytonville, was arrested for a warrant out of Humboldt County and booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was held in lieu of $5,000.00 bail.  The two other subjects detained were released at the scene with charges to be filed with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office against for the illegal cultivation in concert with the Fish and Wildlife violations. Additional charges will likely be requested with the District Attorney’s Office after the environmental biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife prepare their formal report.