Four Busted During Theft Attempt At Permitted Marijuana Grow
Mountain Ranch, CA — The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office recently responded to suspicious activity reported at a legal marijuana grow site in the 8000 block of West Murray Creek Road in Mountain Ranch.
The reporting party spotted at least one person walking around the property late at night. Sheriff’s deputies and CHP officers responded and created a perimeter around the site. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office was requested to also dispatch its helicopter.
In what turned out to be an important move, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office canine, Titan, was deployed to search for the suspect.
Titan located 40-year-old Carlos Osuna from San Jose, who complied with orders and was taken into custody without incident.
Titan and others continued to search for more suspects, and smelled cigarette smoke which led them to 37-year-old Mark Arias Flores of San Jose hiding in dense foliage. He failed to follow commands and was bit on an extremity by Titan. Flores was eventually taken into custody and given first aid.
A third suspect, 59-year-old Tyrone Castaldi of Anderson, CA was found in the same vicinity and taken into custody without incident.
Later, while searching from the air with infrared technology, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office located 45-year-old Frank Jenner from Etna, CA hiding in a tree. He was then taken into custody.
All four were booked into Calaveras County Jail on charges of grand theft, conspiracy, and drug-related offenses. No additional details were released.
The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office thanked all of the allied agencies who assisted, adding, “Their efforts greatly enhanced the safety of the incident.”
