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Not quite two weeks after a multi-agency drug raid set the San Juan Ridge abuzz, law enforcement officers were at it again Tuesday in the same area.
Agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Land Management, and agents from the Nevada County Narcotics Task Force, Butte County Sheriff's Office and the Yuba County Sheriff's Office served search warrants at nine locations after several over-flights allegedly identified numerous active marijuana farms on nearly every parcel, officials said.
A total of 458 marijuana plants and $10,000 in cash were taken in Tuesday's raid, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office reported.
Jonathan T. Farrell, 39, was identified as the owner of most of the properties searched. He is being charged at the federal level with planting and cultivating marijuana and transporting and selling marijuana.
Nevada County narcotics officers began investigating Farrell around the first of the year after learning of a large marijuana farm on his property, said Sheriff Keith Royal. As officers learned of other properties Farrell allegedly owned or had sold recently, the investigation grew, he added.
In 1994, Farrell was convicted of first-degree child neglect and possession of a controlled substance after being arrested for growing marijuana in Oregon, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
During the raid Tuesday, officers went to properties in Camptonville and French Corral, and several properties on Old Mill, Long Point, North Canyon and Tyler Foote Crossing roads.
At one parcel in the 18000 block of North Canyon Road, officers found a greenhouse with 24 marijuana plants that were 10 to 14 feet tall, according to the declaration by DEA Agent Brian Nehring. He also allegedly found one plant drying under the deck of the house, 10 plants and a large amount of bud in a workshop and 28 plants in an outdoor garden.
Farrell drove up to the house with his girlfriend, and Nehring allegedly found a box of 9 mm ammunition and a pistol magazine in the vehicle.
Farrell allegedly told Nehring he kept a shotgun in a trailer on the property for protection, a semi-automatic shotgun was found next to several motion-detection cameras. Farrell allegedly said he kept a pistol at another residence.
“Farrell stated he knew he couldn't own a firearm as a felon, and that he had planned on trying to expunge his prior felonies, but that it was dangerous out there,” Nehring wrote.
In Camptonville, agents found seven plants and a large amount of bud material at a residence in the 14000 block of Marysville Road. They also found as a pistol, three rifles and a large amount of cash.
More than 100 plants were discovered at a property in the 17000 block of Camptonville Road, and a man at that property said he was the owner and had recently bought the property from Farrell.
In French Corral, a greenhouse containing marijuana plants was located at a property in the 20000 block of Pleasant Valley Road, but residents said 80 of the 112 plants found belonged to a separate adjacent property.
Another federal arrest warrant is expected to be issued as a result of this investigation, Royal.
On Sept. 9, nearly 200 law enforcement officers and agents raided nine locations on property belonging to Charles Miller Hilkey Jr., 55. According to a federal complaint, Hilkey allegedly was growing large quantities of marijuana. Agents seized 602 marijuana plants, 135 pounds of processed marijuana and $200,000 in cash, Royal said.
Hilkey and three other people were arrested in those raids.
To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call 477-4229.
Agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Land Management, and agents from the Nevada County Narcotics Task Force, Butte County Sheriff's Office and the Yuba County Sheriff's Office served search warrants at nine locations after several over-flights allegedly identified numerous active marijuana farms on nearly every parcel, officials said.
A total of 458 marijuana plants and $10,000 in cash were taken in Tuesday's raid, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office reported.
Jonathan T. Farrell, 39, was identified as the owner of most of the properties searched. He is being charged at the federal level with planting and cultivating marijuana and transporting and selling marijuana.
Nevada County narcotics officers began investigating Farrell around the first of the year after learning of a large marijuana farm on his property, said Sheriff Keith Royal. As officers learned of other properties Farrell allegedly owned or had sold recently, the investigation grew, he added.
In 1994, Farrell was convicted of first-degree child neglect and possession of a controlled substance after being arrested for growing marijuana in Oregon, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
During the raid Tuesday, officers went to properties in Camptonville and French Corral, and several properties on Old Mill, Long Point, North Canyon and Tyler Foote Crossing roads.
At one parcel in the 18000 block of North Canyon Road, officers found a greenhouse with 24 marijuana plants that were 10 to 14 feet tall, according to the declaration by DEA Agent Brian Nehring. He also allegedly found one plant drying under the deck of the house, 10 plants and a large amount of bud in a workshop and 28 plants in an outdoor garden.
Farrell drove up to the house with his girlfriend, and Nehring allegedly found a box of 9 mm ammunition and a pistol magazine in the vehicle.
Farrell allegedly told Nehring he kept a shotgun in a trailer on the property for protection, a semi-automatic shotgun was found next to several motion-detection cameras. Farrell allegedly said he kept a pistol at another residence.
“Farrell stated he knew he couldn't own a firearm as a felon, and that he had planned on trying to expunge his prior felonies, but that it was dangerous out there,” Nehring wrote.
In Camptonville, agents found seven plants and a large amount of bud material at a residence in the 14000 block of Marysville Road. They also found as a pistol, three rifles and a large amount of cash.
More than 100 plants were discovered at a property in the 17000 block of Camptonville Road, and a man at that property said he was the owner and had recently bought the property from Farrell.
In French Corral, a greenhouse containing marijuana plants was located at a property in the 20000 block of Pleasant Valley Road, but residents said 80 of the 112 plants found belonged to a separate adjacent property.
Another federal arrest warrant is expected to be issued as a result of this investigation, Royal.
On Sept. 9, nearly 200 law enforcement officers and agents raided nine locations on property belonging to Charles Miller Hilkey Jr., 55. According to a federal complaint, Hilkey allegedly was growing large quantities of marijuana. Agents seized 602 marijuana plants, 135 pounds of processed marijuana and $200,000 in cash, Royal said.
Hilkey and three other people were arrested in those raids.
To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call 477-4229.
