Both Marijuana Fields Were Hidden By Corn Stalks
SAN BENITO COUNTY — Wake up people! Growing marijuana for sale is still illegal and you will go to jail. That is the message that local law enforcement is trying to get out to the public. Authorities served two search warrants in San Benito County and Santa Clara County, and arrested 20 people.
A multi-agency raid occurred on Wednesday, August 19. The first warrant was served in San Benito County on Olympia Avenue. The second warrant was served at 12000 block of Center Road in San Martin.
Both warrants were executed at seven in the morning with help of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, San Benito County Probation, Monterey County SWAT Team, the California Highway Patrol, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. Mountain View Police and the United States Marshals Fugitives Task Force.
Marijuana was hidden among the corn stalks, along with living supplies like sleeping bags.
Authorities found 15 acres of marijuana on Olympia Avenue between Lucy Brown Lane and Bixby Road. The marijuana was hidden among the 30 acres of corn. This was the second warrant served in San Benito County in the last two months, in which authorities served their warrant on Frye Lane for a marijuana grow that was surrounded by crops.
In that previous incident, as with this one, several people were detained and arrested. Both locations in this incident had buildings set up to process the marijuana, as did the location in last month’s arrest.
In many cases, these people are from other countries just looking for work. They were all charged with planting or cultivating marijuana for sale, possessing and transporting marijuana for sale, and resisting arrest.
Those arrested and booked in San Benito County Jail included:
- Jose Gutierrez-Merino , 18 of Paso Robles
- Agustine Martinez-Garcia, 45 of Omaha, Nebraska
- Miguel Santiago, 19, address unknown
- Constantino Alvarez-Martinez, 26, address unknown
- Armando Martinez-Gutierrez, 22 of Stockton
- Noe Ramirez, 29 of Mountain View
- Brigido Martinez-Antonio, 22 of Santa Rosa
- Javier Cruz Gutierrez, 19 of Santa Rosa
- Victor Manuel Gutierrez-Merino, 22 of Paso Robles
- Felix Felipe Diaz Diaz, 21 of Fresno
- Zenadio Martinez, 22 of San Martin
- Santiago Andres Martinez, 40 of Gilroy
- Catalino Sanchez, 29, address unknown
- Jose Gonzalez, 27, address unknown
- Domingo Jarquin, 30, address unknown
- Lucino Santos-Vasquez, 26, address unknown
- Indalecio Franciso Cruz, 39 of Santa Rosa
- Severo Antonio Francisco, 34 of Turlock
- Amadeo Martinez-Francisco, 36 of Salinas
- Feliciano Mendoza, 32 of Santa Rosa
Read More: CrimeVoice: Federal agents raid illegal marijuana grow
