GONE TO POT: FALLBROOK DEPUTIES BUST MARIJUANA GROWERS, ARREST THREE

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

June 18, 2009 (Fallbrook) Three people were taken into custody for cultivating marijuana on Tuesday afternoon by Sheriff’s Deputies from the Fallbrook Substation. Deputy Andrew Brumfield was alerted by a concerned citizen of a possible marijuana grow in the Deluz Canyon area off of Calle Roxanne Road. Deputies Brumfield, Mark Cahill and Jeff Holder formulated a plan to conduct surveillance on the property with the help of the Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter. ASTREA deputies located and observed several people in and around what appeared to be a greenhouse on an unfenced and undeveloped parcel of property.

Deputies Brumfield, Holder and Cahill surrounded the property and walked in toward the greenhouse. There, they detained three men who appeared to be staying on the property. The greenhouse had water and power going to it. The deputies could see what appeared to be hundreds of marijuana plants in various stages of growth inside the greenhouse. Because of the sophistication of the grow, agents from the Narcotics Task Force (NTF) were called in. NTF agents confirmed the grow and recovered 324 marijuana plants. The three men were arrested. None of them lived in the Fallbrook area. “It appears they planned on being there for awhile based on the construction of the greenhouse and the sophistication of the grow,” said Lt. Phil Brust of the Fallbrook Substation. “This is a great example of citizens getting involved in the community to combat illegal activity.” By utilizing the help of the Narcotics Task Force, deputies were able to bring federal resources into the investigation. There are severe civil penalties associated with the cultivation of marijuana up to and including the seizure of the property, dwellings and vehicles. Those arrested were Ian Sean McKinster-Peters, 18, from Placentia, CA, Corbin King, 20, from Fullerton, CA. and Erik D. Trent, 19, from Yorba Linda, CA. All were book at the Vista Detention Facility for violation of 11358 H&S, Planting/Cultivating Marijuana.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.