Citizens’ Complaints Lead to Marijuana Bust on Wilder Ridge, Says Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office

This is a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. 

Humboldt County Sheriffs Office HCSO

On May 13, 2020, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served one search warrant to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the 6000 block of Wilder Ridge Road, Honeydew, following numerous citizen complaints. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Humboldt County Code Enforcement assisted in the service of the warrant.

Three parcels were investigated during the service of the warrant. The parcels did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.

During the service of the warrant, deputies eradicated approximately 1,121 growing cannabis plants.

Assisting agencies found the following violations:

  • Nine water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
  • Commercial cannabis ordinance violations (up to $10,000 fine per day)
  • Electrical code violations
  • Unpermitted grading violations
  • Open sewage violations

Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.

No arrests were made during the service of the warrant. The case will be forwarded to the DA’s Office for review.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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jed
Guest
jed
3 years ago

wow, I guess it is hard times in the dope business, dope growers turning on each other or as Kym put it ” citizen complaint”

thetallone
Guest
thetallone
3 years ago
Reply to  jed

Complaints are anonymous, right? So how do we know if they actually happened, or were fabricated?

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  thetallone

The Sheriff said with the many illegal grows, he prioritizes raiding the properties that get rat’ed out & snitched on by informants aka complaints. With as nosey & hater’ish typical Americans are, seems believable.

Cannabis Is Legal
Guest
Cannabis Is Legal
3 years ago

Cannabis is legal..

Elvis Costanza
Guest
Elvis Costanza
3 years ago

How about water diversion and open sewers? Is that legal?

Double standard
Guest
Double standard
3 years ago
Reply to  Elvis Costanza

It’s all about semantics, and gross double standards. “Open sewer” is probably a gray water line off their sink. These agencies want to trump up the allegations at every turn . So dramatic. Let’s look at the lack of any restrictions on cattle running in open waterways/creeks/wetlands . Let’s start there if we want to talk about “open sewers. “

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
3 years ago

WELL STATED!!!

RT
Guest
RT
3 years ago

Unpermitted grading and illegal water diversions, good enough for me, shut em down!

FanOfGuest
Guest
FanOfGuest
3 years ago
Reply to  RT

Next in the news… Double homicide on wilder ridge road next to property that was busted due to being snitched on by jealous neighbors. Sheriffs believe there was foul play involved.
Hmmmmm A human can throw a stone only so far…..

Double standard
Guest
Double standard
3 years ago
Reply to  RT

While ranchers are permitted to divert 300 gallons water per day PER COW with no fat binder of up your a** documentation, consultant fees, mandated storage, or fish and game visits /citations and water board tantrums over every culvert or 30 yo pond . It’s the good old boys in charge of who has to “comply” and how far bent over that looks like . Moo . Boo

Delta
Guest
Delta
3 years ago

Yep.

Meat feeds people, and pot gets people high. Guess which one matters?

And live cattle are .90/pound, and pot is $1,200/lb.

Go cry somewhere else, S#!thead.

Double standard
Guest
Double standard
3 years ago
Reply to  Delta

So it’s not about water quality after all…..is it.

S*!#Creek.

Cow as pets
Guest
Cow as pets
3 years ago

Petunia says leave us outa this please

For sure
Guest
For sure
3 years ago

Double, you are correct. I once even saw a rotting, dead cow in a huge stream on a ranchers property. It stank soo badly that I cldnt breathe. It was more than 25 yrs ago, & I just thought that’s what cattle ppl do. Of course, I know better now. Even tho it was a well-respected man, I was grossed out. plus I was a vegetarian, so I never wanted to go there again.

local observer
Guest
local observer
3 years ago
Reply to  For sure

maybe read the charges on Ray Christie for example. both of you are wrong.

Local farmer
Guest
Local farmer
3 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Maybe drive around and see the vegetation stripped to bare dirt on stream banks on any cattle ranch in county. Cows are free to graze and shit in the creeks. Open your eyes. Christie’s ranch was a shitshow with dead cattle all over the place, thats why he got charged so heavily.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
3 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Check out what has become of the Shasta and Scott rivers in Shasta County after years of cattle ranching. These were once classic steelhead and salmon (including coho) streams. But, see, this is a Republican double-standard area. Sorry.

Master of Puppets
Guest
Master of Puppets
3 years ago

Yes, thanks a lot Bill Simon

Laura hall
Guest
Laura hall
3 years ago

No shit! Pun intended

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

It might be blue birds flowing out of their pipes too. Relating it to a cow crapping in a stream is a diversion, misapplication and hyperbole. No feed yard or dairy with a concentrated crap load is unregulated either. While some human illnesses are caused from incidental animal waste, treatment of human waste has been a standard for public health for a hundred and fifty years. No one gets much of a pass for that.

Brian
Guest
Brian
3 years ago
Reply to  Guest

I dunno…. u ever drive the I-5 down to SoCal? I was always amazed by those cattle yards that are hundreds of acres in size that you can smell for miles and miles, without a single blade of grass and cows standing up to their knees in mud and excrement…..these apparently, are able to pass inspections….seems like the authorities may be being just a tad harder on cannabis farmers …. just sayin….🌱🌱🌱🐮

DQ
Guest
DQ
3 years ago

If cannabis is like any other business, it should be regulated like other businesses are.

Don’t like it? You can always choose a different career.

Local farmer
Guest
Local farmer
3 years ago
Reply to  DQ

Its not regulated like other business. Its regulated way heavier.

J
Guest
J
3 years ago

I always stop listening when people say “probably”. Listening to speculation is a dumb waist of time. Especially in Humboldt where everyone thinks they’re an expert on everything.

Double standard indeed AND a much deeper issue of injustice...
Guest
Double standard indeed AND a much deeper issue of injustice...
3 years ago

Dont forget about the thousands of acres of forests clear-cut and squirted with gallons and gallons of pesticides (banned in Europe) by Humboldt County (and Mendocino) Redwood Company. State law allows this use of a toxic pesticide by corporations too. Double standard indeed everywhere you look AND a much deeper issue of injustice at the level of our very system of law. See CELDF.org for more. It’s time for a new constitution and beyond.

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
3 years ago
Reply to  Elvis Costanza

“Open sewer” probably means an outhouse.

Bob
Guest
Bob
3 years ago

Sure it is. Been in the triangle too long.

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago

Not really

Sky
Guest
Sky
3 years ago

So is alcohol but you have to follow regulations

Focus your brain
Guest
Focus your brain
3 years ago

Trumped up for illegal UNCONSTITUTIONAL extortion is definitely what these theives are doing. Everyone is just watching the government steal illegally and still voting for the same representation, boggles my mind at the ignorance!!!!
BOGGLES MY MIND

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
3 years ago

Like many comments, mine is just scuttlebutt, and i am not positive this is the scene i’ve heard about. But you all might think differently about this if you were neighbors (which i’m not, but it’s my general neck of the woods) and dealt with: Eastern European crime cartels. Bosses and thugs out of Chicago. Complete unaccountability, no response to neighborhood concerns re: traffic, litter, noise, light, crime and theft. No involvement with community affairs, no support of community causes. Furtiveness and isolation with constant expansionist plans.
These sorts of things lead neighbors to complain, as they would no matter what the product in question.

If the party were a good local and a good neighbor, i doubt there would be “numerous” citizen complaints.

BotThatNeverSleeps
Guest
BotThatNeverSleeps
3 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

Lol thugs out of Chicago. Your post is entirely based off a FBI article from last year.

Watching the untouchables doesn’t put you in touch with reality buddy.

WC666
Guest
WC666
3 years ago

The ones i talked to were real good at faking Chicago accents i guess.

BotThatNeverSleeps
Guest
BotThatNeverSleeps
3 years ago
Reply to  WC666

Lol wow. Chicago and south east Wisconsin are actually noted for there lack of accent. Are you sure your not mistaken with the cah in havad yad?

Angela Robinson
Guest
Angela Robinson
3 years ago

Chicago definitely has an accent.

Dennis Farina had that accent.

Buster
Guest
Buster
3 years ago

“Da Bears”

BotThatNeverSleeps
Guest
BotThatNeverSleeps
3 years ago

Wow. An actor with an accent is your basis on chi town having a accent. Regardless these guys are from Brookfield area, that’s south sideish by the zoo for all you Chicago accent experts out there lol. John Candy RIP

Angela Robinson
Guest
Angela Robinson
3 years ago

I used Farina as an example because you most likely never heard of the people I know personally who also have a distinct Chicago accent.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Listen and learn
Guest
Listen and learn
3 years ago

Chicago does have an accent. An it is noticeably different from the nearby michigan accent. There is also variation between wisconsin and Minnesota too. You need to travel more.

Buster
Guest
Buster
3 years ago

Hiding your head in the sand doesn’t make something untrue.

Bob
Guest
Bob
3 years ago

Talked to a realtor friend a few years ago Russians were her main clients. Glad I got out what has turned into a sh..t hole.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
3 years ago

Wilder Ridge has Russian mobsters working for a Bulgarian/American. They do not hire locals. Ever. They have their own heavy equipment,drilling rigs, work crews. They buy a parcel, walk over the neighbors, blow it up, then abandon it to abatement fines or use it for dormitories/storage. There have been unreported shootouts in the middle of the county road, with casualties refusing to explain to authorities how they got shot. They burn all of their trash in pits because they are afraid to take it to the dump (soil bags). They do not contribute shit, except to the garden supply stores. Your friends sound nice, lucky you.

Michael Riggs
Guest
Michael Riggs
3 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

I know hard working Eastern Europians that have paid for immigration fees and permits as well as spent millions with local businesses and construction companies. I wish people wouldn’t stereotype so heavily… There are good people from every walk of life and they don’t deserve have their culture lumped in with thugs.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
3 years ago
Reply to  Michael Riggs

Of course that’s true, there are excellent people from every part of the world.
But the ones who are not excellent shouldn’t be immune from criticism just because they are very recent arrivals and we don’t want to stereotype. In fact, it was a younger member of one of the families associated with the Humboldt-Chicago-Bulgaria business who told me, “Hey, they may be my people, but they are the ruthless ones–both the bosses and the thugs who don’t ask questions. Don’t fool around with them because they’re not fooling.”

J
Guest
J
3 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

weird that you’re complaining about outsiders so much, everything you described I’ve seen from third and fourth generation locals. Maybe it’s time to start casting blame outside and look inward.

Shaun Ovis
Guest
Shaun Ovis
3 years ago

Question to Kym and ALL the posters.

Has anyone seen a report on the total amount of water taken out of the mattole watershed by cannabis growers for any year? Or the eel river etc?
I have seen reports of grow locations/numbers but have not seen the direct impact on the watersheds/rivers. I

Just wondering as that there is not city/county water system in the Mattole area.

If you have reports by the msg/mrc/friends of the eel etc please post a link.

Stay safe and dry.

Willow Creeker
Guest
Willow Creeker
3 years ago
Reply to  Shaun Ovis

No one would ever know that for sure. What a nice solid rain we are getting these days though. Multiple inches

Phoenix
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Willow Creeker

We all want to do what we do best and have done for decades but you need an E ticket to ride now. Naturally we feel bad when big shitty pigs with no tickets push past us and shit all over the park.

ALMOST
Guest
ALMOST
3 years ago
Reply to  Willow Creeker

Mother earth is unhappy and she is talking more then ever..better listen up this time

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
3 years ago
Reply to  Shaun Ovis

The water treatment facility is controlled by the Scientology Cartel and they only accept alien shit.

James dean
Guest
James dean
3 years ago
Reply to  Shaun Ovis

Look garberville or redway water usage and times that for hills if you’d like
I’m sure it would surprise you the towns alone

Willie Bray
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Shaun Ovis

🕯🌳In 2020 ehn.org-delivered did the most recent, you’ll have to navigate there page to find the one you want. And actually Kym did two,one on April 2,2015 and another on February 25,2019.🖖🐸🌍

James dean
Guest
James dean
3 years ago
Reply to  Willie Bray

I wont bother willie. Only stating the towns alone are huge, on household usage.? But that’s a problem any city, town… you fuking name it

gee
Guest
gee
3 years ago

If we just had pathways for truly small farms to operate outside of prime ag soil, and caps on legal farm size, there would be massive support for enforcement efforts. This is not the citizens wanted legalization to look like.

What permits do I need to grow vegetables and sale them to consumers? Cannabis should be very similar to that level of regulation.

Jerry
Guest
Jerry
3 years ago

If folks want to grow big time( for me, over a 1000 plants is) without getting permitted then shut them down, especially if they don’t give a shit about taking water illegally, polluting, unproved grading or their neighbors.

That’s the law for now unless it’s changed.

Fast Freddy
Guest
Fast Freddy
3 years ago

All you have to do is go to Costco and see all the Eastern Europeans, juiced out, dressed in designer clothes, speaking a dialect of Russian, and buying up everything in the store. Then they ruin property and don’t give a crap. it is out there big time right now.

BotThatNeverSleeps
Guest
BotThatNeverSleeps
3 years ago
Reply to  Fast Freddy

Dialect of Russian wow… Let me guess they signed there slip in Cyrillic as well.

Fast Freddy
Guest
Fast Freddy
3 years ago

Yeah. There are several different dialects of Russian. In conclusion, there are about fifteen countries that speak it as there native language. Maybe they’re Slovenian? You tell me.

Ukrainian? All share close similarities. Thanks.

Dogger
Guest
Dogger
3 years ago
Reply to  Fast Freddy

Dah, Dah….

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
3 years ago

So we have Willie who protects the mexican cartels and now we have bot that protects russian cartels. Willie lost all credibility a long time ago. Bot is heading that way now.

Willie Bray
Guest
3 years ago

🕯🌳And you still probably think you have immunity to this covid shit huh Red.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Permit What Permit
Guest
Permit What Permit
3 years ago

Put some pressure on the farms that do not have a state license, only a county and are now in the process of stuffing greenhouses. If anyone should get busted, it’s them, not the folks without any permit.

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
3 years ago

How about the “Permitted Farms” doing the SAME thing these people were charged with???

geoffrey davis
Guest
geoffrey davis
3 years ago

When/ if you see a suspicious random euro-trash sort…Just throw a random Russian phrase out at Renner… their heads will spin.They usually will have a slave w/ them. Your blind if you cant spot them…..And……. throwing dead beef/ pork in a waterway was standard practice for almost all ranchers antywhere… …. MMMMm…mmmmmm.Good ole Humboldt spring water… right outa Mother Earth….

Bill Rogers
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  geoffrey davis

Something to think about… One cow produces 80 lbs. of manure (raw sewage) per day. A 100 cow herd produces 8,000 lbs. per day, 240,000 lbs. per month and 2,880,000.00 lbs.or almost 3 million lbs. a year being deposited all over the watersheds, by just 100 cows.

Wantstoknow
Guest
Wantstoknow
3 years ago

The way I heard it, settlers used to put the toilet(so to speak ) in the creek. They set up some sort of seat or platform in the stream and let the natural flow take care of the rest… Downstream neighbors were presumably out of luck but then again, there were way fewer people in those days.

Buster
Guest
Buster
3 years ago
Reply to  Wantstoknow

I have heard of that exact thing happening in Strawberry Creek watershed in McKinleyville relatively not long ago in the 1970s and 80s. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still happening but not as blatantly. Last year, Clam Beach was second in the state for most polluted recreational waters.

Cole s
Guest
Cole s
3 years ago
Reply to  Buster

That’s why we can’t get razor clams

David Heller
Guest
David Heller
3 years ago
Reply to  Wantstoknow

To confirm what you have heard, I have read of two different accounts of early Mattole men whose ‘throne” was over a creek. Now we are much more civilized and pump gazillions of gallons of human waste out into the ocean. (emoji of your choice here).

For sure
Guest
For sure
3 years ago

Don’t they regularly have an E. coli problem at Moonstone?

Mr. Bear
Guest
Mr. Bear
3 years ago
Reply to  For sure

Yes. But I’m assuming that’s from multiple failed septic systems upstream.

Save our water ways,safe our plant
Guest
Save our water ways,safe our plant
3 years ago

Why or how do they always raid these places they take what they want the pot the money, but they never ever seem to ever arrest any of the people that are doing this arm to our planet they say they slept finds on them but do they ever pay the fines probably not they never go to jail they just go get more property and do it again.

Wording "citizen complaint" creates community tention
Guest
Wording "citizen complaint" creates community tention
3 years ago

Dear whomever wrote this press release, Please be aware that whenever you label something as a “citizen complaint”, you are creating massive tension between the illegal, (potentially dangerous) operation, and every other neighbor in the area. you are disrespecting everyone that is compliant, and putting them in direct danger by implying that “anyone” could be a rat. This is not the first time, there are pissed off people in every neighborhood now. this is not ok, you are provoking criminal activity! you must know that , that is common sense to anyone, especially if you have any training in law enforcement…. Then , my question is WHY?