Eureka Man Detained in Covelo Cannabis Operation That Included FBI, DEA, National Guard Members

This is a press release from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Mendocino County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) featureOn June 24, 2020* the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, Mendocino County Probation, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the California National Guard Counter-Drug Task Force Unit/High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) members, and the Round Valley Indian Tribal Police Department served a search warrant in the 23700 Block of Biggar Lane in Covelo, related to the illegal cultivation of marijuana.

The warrant was issued for the property based upon probable cause showing the illegal cultivation of commercial marijuana.  At the location four males fled into the brush and one adult female was detained.  In a search of the wooded area two adult males were detained and two could not be located.  Two minor children were also located who were visiting a relative.  These two minor children were later turned over to the custody of the Round Valley Indian Tribal Indian Child Welfare (ICWA) representative to be driven to their legal guardian’s home. Detained at this location were; Angel Esquivel, 56 years of age, out of Covelo, Herberto Valencia-Guzman, 32 years of age, from Eureka, CA, Juan Godine-Martinez, 38 years of age, from Guatemala.

The investigation found a total of 9346 growing marijuana plants, ranging in height from 1 foot to 6 feet, being grown in several open field locations and and in 35 “hoop” style green houses.  

A Round Valley Indian Tribes, cultural monitor, was requested to respond as there was clear indication of Tribal Archaeology site disturbances found.  A complete report documenting the extent of any damage to the sites was requested.  Also discovered were two areas of de-forestation of the local oak trees in what appeared to be an attempt to open the tree canopy for to allow more sunlight on some of the open field grows.  These areas were withing the riparian zone of Mill creek, a steel-head and salmon spawning tributary of the Eel River.

This incident is under investigation and a complaint will be filed with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office for a review of the listed charges against the listed suspects.  Anyone with additional information about these marijuana growing operations is encouraged to contact the MCSO Tip line at 707-234-2100.

*Note: we’ve asked for clarification on the date.

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ED Denson
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ED Denson
3 years ago

Are the feds there because it is on tribal lands? Otherwise a waste of their resources, I think,

Willow Creeker
Guest
Willow Creeker
3 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Why is this a waste of resources? These grows are terrible for our community and even for the cause of all things marijuana (which I don’t really care about, but I think you do). I’m an old school outlaw but as I settle down and want to have a normal life here, I have begun to appreciate law enforcement getting the scummy growers out of here. They don’t help anyone but their bosses, and the money doesn’t circulate in the community. Have you noticed the degrading of our towns? If we could all look back 20 years, what has the marijuana industry done but brought money to a few, while the downtowns are filled with empty stores and homeless zombies. Sorry for the rant.

Justin Zeidler
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Justin Zeidler
3 years ago
Reply to  Willow Creeker

What are humans? Everyone on this blog systematically is the biggest hypocrite ever. This world is filled with hate and ignorance. Get a grip. If you believe in the after life. Better be a good human. If not. Its dog eat dog like everything else in nature…just dont beg the lord for mercy when your getting eaten, if you don’t believe. Man up. Quit bitchen. This comment blog sucks now…[edit]

thesteve4761
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thesteve4761
3 years ago
Reply to  Justin Zeidler

What?

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
3 years ago
Reply to  Justin Zeidler

You don’t have to believe in God or an afterlife to be a decent human being. Your life must be sad.

Believe it or not, if you do your best to treat others well the huge majority will reciprocate.

stuber
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stuber
3 years ago
Reply to  I like stars

I chose to believe in God. I have seen the other side, I know there is a God. I do not need to be told what I have to believe. No one on this earth has the right or authority to tell me what to believe, be it Atheist or Christian. Nor does anyone have the right to beat me if I am wearing a red ball cap. Like the kid Antifa beat up in Chicago, for just wearing a red cap. The cap said NOTHING, it was just red. Antifa, and anarchists, are very evil, and deny us our freedoms. They want to rule us just like Hitler and Stalin. They have no concept of personal freedom, if they disagree with what you wear, or what it says, they have decided they are the rulers, and they will violate your constitutional rights. And they use violence to do it, violence against humans, violence against property. Fuck Antifa, Fuck China, they are both the same. You either think the way they want you to, or they will hurt you. But, there is change in the air. Trump’s new laws have resulted in hundreds of arrests, and the evil left is getting hammered, rounded up, and records changed forever. Their arrest record is with them for the rest of their lives, keeping them from getting good jobs. The FBI and Feds are using enhanced photos and finding these freaks, they found one Antifa by the paintings on her fingernails. So glad they got her, so evil.

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  stuber

Yes, and let’s see them round up all of the evil White supremacists that kill people for the color of their skin and send death threats to anyone that dares to call them on their evil Nazi bullshit. So evil.

Entering a World of Pain
Guest
Entering a World of Pain
3 years ago
Reply to  stuber

Actually it was the words she had tattooed on her knuckles. I recommend actually paying attention & turning the sound up when you watch fox news

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  stuber

Let’s see, how’s about we round up all of the violent evil white supremacists that kill people for the color of their skin. Pure Evil Trump lovers. Their violence and hatred is legendary. The evil Right is going to have a reckoning.
It’s Evil hating people for the color of their skin. Hundreds of years of pure Evil.

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  Willow Creeker

Ed seems to have a hard time discerning between shitty ass illegal grows that impact everyone one around them negatively and the legal grows that are trying to get it together without pissing everyone off around them.
Waste of resources? So tired of that old rant.

Justin Zeidler
Guest
Justin Zeidler
3 years ago

Cant hide in the woods forever…dog eat dog…..that’s how u survive.

Patriot in Willits
Guest
Patriot in Willits
3 years ago

Some of us are actual human beings. If you want to act like a little bitch, assume everyone else is living a “dog eat dog” existence. Some of us don’t feel the need or desire to.

Willie Bray
Guest
3 years ago

🕯🌳Damn.🖖🕊

jack hollow
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jack hollow
3 years ago

fuck anyone defending these scum bag illegals..deport their asses out of here

Jeffersonian
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Jeffersonian
3 years ago

One of the best quotes I ever heard was from an appellate judge who stated …”the accused stands before this court entitled to a consideration of his case because he is called a human being”. Then he continues on to describe the hideous details of the proven crime against the defendant. The marijuana industry has brought legions of these very types into our communities. And it’s not getting any better despite govt. efforts to legitimize something that is inherently bad.

Farce
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Farce
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeffersonian

I don’t agree with you that marijuana growing is bad. I have seen it done well by actual caring and humble people who used the profit to build and maintain simple and loving homes. However I do agree with your “The marijuana industry has brought legions of these very types into our communities. And it’s not getting any better despite govt. efforts to legitimize…” I have seen the “legalization” reverse the goodness by rewarding baller mega-growers, government parasites and corporate investors while hurting the same people I referred to in my opening statements… The money and the sensationalism of weed growing pulled many bad people into this area. We became a magnet for sociopaths and greedy posers- many who now have permits and hype their dubious credentials!

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
3 years ago
Reply to  Farce

Yep. Totally agree. There are still legions of asshole growers out there, legal and illegal.
I wonder how Oregon locals feel about now with many Californians and others invading their state to continue their greenrush mentality.

Patriot in Willits
Guest
Patriot in Willits
3 years ago
Reply to  Yeah,sure

Californians get a pretty bad reception generally, whether you grow or not. And not just in Oregon.My sister has lived in western Montana for almost 40 years. Her town of about 800 was “discovered” a few years ago, and there are lots of second homes and AirB&Bs replacing homes for young families. Housing prices are up, and affordable housing is almost gone.

FBnative
Guest
3 years ago

That is what has happened to Fort Bragg! I have lived here 70 years, and realtors, and second homes ruined the rental market for young families. Not only are rentals high, they just are not as many on the market, and hard to find.

Local farmer
Guest
Local farmer
3 years ago
Reply to  Yeah,sure

Hey Jeffersonian did you know that Thomas Jefferson, the man you took your name from, was a cannabis farmer and smoker. There are letters archived that he and Benjamin Franklin wrote to each other about drinking beer and smoking the flowers of the cannabis plant. Since you hate cannabis, cannabis bad says Jeffersonian, and you obviously aren’t a libertarian, you should probably change your handle. Maybe try Reaganonian, it would definitely suit your views better.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Farce

Let’s see… No regulation led to too many (if not most) poorly run, ecologically damaging and crime riddled illegal grows. However legalizing regulation led to “mega-growers, government parasites and corporate investors.” Why not just say that, just like tobacco growers in the south in smoking’s heyday https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4669730/
, the ability to make a great deal more money with less investment than in other pursuits inevitably leads to people who are anxious for those profits to be attracted to the product and abuse the land in the process. A single person can certainly be just as greedy as any corporation. But thousands of such individuals, suffering little consequences for their abuses, are just as damaging as any one big corporation but harder to control.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Mountain lions, bears and buffalo are powerful but it’s cockroaches, rats and locusts that are unstoppable. Numbers are always an issue.

SickofSocialists
Guest
SickofSocialists
3 years ago

Just another case of “innocent harmless growers” being harassed by the man 😐

locals only
Guest
locals only
3 years ago

On Tribal land it is the responsibility of the FED’s to intervene. They have jurisdiction of offenses committed on tribal land.

Think of this before you harm archaeological sites, salmon spawning streams and commit other offenses against humanity in the name of greed.

Simply put it is a FEDERAL OFFENSE.

Tall Trees
Guest
Tall Trees
3 years ago

Covelo has issues.

Government theives & extortionist
Guest
Government theives & extortionist
3 years ago

Why don’t the feds intervien on the greedy permitted mega grows ???? It’s still federally illegal !!! Oh that’s right because when you get a permit you sighn an agreement to be a full time cheese eating informer in order to keep your permit !!!!just like paying to wipe out the old hippy down the road who’s been surviving this way for 40 year’s

The Future
Guest
The Future
3 years ago

When elected Joe B will federally legalize weed, great news! You will be able to buy plants, seeds at the local nursery and grow everywhere like zucchini, although Humboldt county GDP will suffer, less environmental damage, and local growers will need to produce other products. Thanks to science, I predict a hybrid weed Chi pets.