30-day sentence for pot grows

[Humboldt215]

After nearly 10 months, two people have been sentenced for running a major pot growing operation in a number of properties around Arcata.

Following a plea agreement, Arcata residents John Devoe, 42, and Clare Holmes, 36, were sentenced Wednesday to felony probation and 30 days in jail for commercially growing marijuana in four Arcata properties.

Maggie Fleming, a Humboldt County deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case, said the two owned the titles to six properties raided in August 2007 by agents with the Humboldt County Drug Task Force after an anonymous tip.

Of the six properties raided, two of them -- one in Trinidad and another in Arcata -- were found to be clean, Fleming reported.

All together, officers found 234 plants and 24 pounds of marijuana. As part of the pleas, the defendants agreed to forfeit $66,000 from bank and stock accounts, and from money found at a residence.

At one Arcata property on Greenbriar Lane, agents discovered 216 marijuana plants growing in four rooms. Agents also found 21 pounds of bud, 17 of which were packaged in one pound bags.

A house on Anina Way in Arcata, which was described in the report as â??damp and moldyâ?� was found with 18 plants in a room with cultivation equipment.

Inside a Hyland Street property, where Fleming said Holmes was living, agents found $20,000 in a brown bag. An additional $1,429 was found at the property, along with about three pounds of marijuana trim.

The fourth property, which had no furniture and was covered with mold, the report describes, was used as a storage area for cultivation equipment.

Agents used PG&E records for the properties to obtain search warrants. Those records showed the homes used more than 18,000 kilowatt hours during a 16 month period prior to the search.



makes me wonder just how much they didnt get busted with LOL!!!

[painretreat]

Not only how much they did not get caught with, but where! lol:)

[allrollsin21]

Thats bull$#^! they used PG+E to get search warrants. PG+E is a private business and should protect their customers privacy. If there was another electric company in the game and it was not a state wide monopoly they may do a better job protecting their customers. EVERYONE GO SOLAR!!!! (someday when its affordable)

[painretreat]

Yeh, and while you are at it, let's include wind mills (windy areas)! Plus, all those damn cameras for speeders. I do not like them being used for safely speeding or a simple rolling stop sign, or broken signal and you wait 15 min.-the only car and the turn light never comes one--I go! Certainly good for a murder or if my parked car got $4,000.00 of damage and I had to get a ride home. I see those cameras everywhere, turn on a website and can see who is where on a street from the cameras to the internet, almost real time! If I wanted to pull a nuisance crime, I couldn't even do a old fashioned toilet paper roll on a house, I bet! Our privacy is invaded too much! I recall a measure on a CA ballot to test DNA on everyone for criminal use, even if you haven't done a thing--did not pass. We are having all our rights taken away. Heck, if you had a nice outdoor grow, go on google earth or zillow.com and see if you can see it! I hate the idea that I phoned a realtor 5 years ago and he told me every item in my back yard within minutes! Anyone could use it to plan a crime! allrollsin21, I just love your dogs face, reminds me of my little Pek, same color and one eye (opposite) but so cute and loveable! Love your posts and that your heart is in the right place! Speaking of PG & E; there R ways to fool around with those darn things, run them backwards, stop them for temporary. Not that I condone criminal activity or by any means cheating an over priced necessity of life, but how much do they get paid for the tip-off? If they make $ on it, just a guess--that should be criminal, paid for turning their customers in?? Who knows, we need some privacy back!!! Now, if you can rape a kid with too much electricity, I could understand it! We had so many busts of homes in S. CA it was not funny in the past few years, I thot they had laid off! Nope, going for the bigger farmers! I was thinking of Wind mill exactly for that reason, FEAR! I don't want to sound paranoid, but it is the truth, if a camera, meter or satellite aren't watching you, then you are in your closet asleep! I gotta shut up, this has my hair standing! You know what, I think, even if you have your own electric system, they do place a monitor so they can buy your excess, but do not pay you. With wind mills you can take it out on use if you use more than you generate on any month! Now, what a bargain! Man, shut up Cindy! Bye!:(

[brentxzi]

Not bad, imagine if they had got hit with federal charges. LE got paid, thats all they care about. If you are doing anything commercial, be sure to have a stash to pay off the cops if you get caught, I guarantee you'll spend less time in jail.

I moved to CA about a year ago, and had expectations of a live and let live kind of place. Yet there is so much regulation... its disgusting to me. Regulation is not the answer in my opinion, I think that one should treat the root of the problem. Regulation & surveillance are just band-aids, a short term, non-effective solution to the real problems. Regulating grow houses in Arcata, for example, is silly. Criminals don't follow the law (its a duh thing, but many don't understand this concept). Legalize herb and this whole issue would vanish like magic. However, this won't happen as the current political system makes it hard for politicians to make real changes, when they have to worry about pleasing their campaign donors and playing politics.

[killerweed420]

The short answer is voter approved referendums. Its how the MMJ laws got passed in the first place. We need state wide referendums that make MJ legal period. MJ should not be just for people with health conditions because its a benefit for even perfectly healthy people.

[Lanietheberner]

as there is one federal law that states that if you are "involved" with more than 100 kg (220 pounds) in a 5 year period, that the judge is reguired to hand down a 5 year sentence....... They cannot wave this sentence.

I've been hearing that even if you only do 1 year, they can pro-rate it out for the 5 years, even if you've only been doing it for less time. If your involvement is more than 20 kg (44 pound per year) they can, and most times will send your postierior away for a "verrrrrrrry wong time" (in the word of my hero - Elmer Fuud!!! LOL!!).

Having more than 100 kids/pounds will also automatically have the federal guys involvement, so as they say, stay within what your locality allows. It's good for you, and better for your family!:thumbsup:

[shmokin420]

Guys, something is really wrong here. 18,000 Kwh is nothing over 16 months. Especially over 4 houses. It's either a typo, or they are lying.

[painretreat]

as there is one federal law that states that if you are "involved" with more than 100 kg (220 pounds) in a 5 year period, that the judge is reguired to hand down a 5 year sentence....... They cannot wave this sentence.

I've been hearing that even if you only do 1 year, they can pro-rate it out for the 5 years, even if you've only been doing it for less time. If your involvement is more than 20 kg (44 pound per year) they can, and most times will send your postierior away for a "verrrrrrrry wong time" (in the word of my hero - Elmer Fuud!!! LOL!!).

Having more than 100 kids/pounds will also automatically have the federal guys involvement, so as they say, stay within what your locality allows. It's good for you, and better for your family!:thumbsup:

I've been to Humbolt Co.; guess they don't have room in jail for a long time for this type of 'crime!" Best place to gro in the state, I hear! And for a long time. Maybe tired of these cases! Might be a good sign if other judges follow!:thumbsup:

[Lanietheberner]

as I lived near Half Moon Bay as a kid, those nice eveings when the fog comes rolling in and cools everything down...... :thumbsup:

I get really tired of the 95 degree days especially at 8:30 in the evening....

Maybe I should come on back????

[veggii]

so wots that work out too.. 1 day ,,for every 100lbs..sweet