September 28, 2018
BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WARNS CITIZENS TO BE AWARE OF PHONE AND E-MAIL SCAMS
Butte County, Ca—Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Detectives have seen an increase in reports of phone and e-mail scams in Butte County. It is expected that the scams will continue to increase with the holiday season approaching. There are many different phone and e-mail scams, and they are constantly changing; however, there are ways to avoid becoming a victim.
• Never open unsolicited e-mails.
• Don’t click on links that are e-mailed or texted to you.
• Do not provide personal identifying information over the phone, legitimate businesses will not call you to ask for this information.
• If contacted by a “debt collector” verify their information.
• The IRS and local law enforcement will not call you and demand money in lieu of being arrested.
• Do not pay for goods or services with Green Dot Money Cards, iTunes gift cards or Google play cards. If this is a requested method of payment, it’s a scam.
Many times phone and e-mail scams target the elderly in our community, but anyone can become a victim. BCSO urges citizens to be vigilant and report suspicious phone calls or e-mails to local law enforcement.
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September 22, 2018
BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT LOCATES MARIJUNANA GROW SITE LINKED TO DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
Oroville, Ca--On September 20th, 2018, members of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) served a search warrant on property located on lower Black Bart Road near Forbestown Road, Oroville, after aerial overflights revealed a clandestine marijuana grow site.  Numerous marijuana plants were being grown within the manzanita, in an effort to hide the marijuana from the BCSO helicopter.
Upon service of the search warrant, SEU Detectives did not locate any suspects at the scene, and it appeared the marijuana grow site was unoccupied.  The marijuana grow site appeared to be the work of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) who may frequent the marijuana grow site every few days.  
The marijuana was being watered via a well and large storage tank.  The water was gravity fed from the water storage tank and the water was controlled by battery powered automatic water timers.
293 marijuana plants were eradicated from the area.  This is an ongoing investigation by SEU.

September 22, 2018
MARIJUANA TRAFFICKER COLLIDES INTO BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT DETECTIVE’S VEHICLE
Oroville, Ca--On September 18th, 2018, Detectives with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Unit (SEU), were involved in a non-injury traffic collision in an Oroville parking lot.  SEU Detective’s contacted the driver of the other involved vehicle and found the driver and vehicle smelled of fresh marijuana.  The driver, Keith Deshawn Hudson, age 26 of Alabama, was found to be on probation and did not possess a valid driver’s license.
A search of Hudson’s vehicle revealed seven vacuumed sealed bags of marijuana bud secured in the spare tire area of Hudson’s vehicle.  Each bag of marijuana weighed 1.0 net pounds; evidence of sales.
Hudson was arrested at the scene for possession of marijuana for sale and transportation of marijuana for sale.  Hudson was booked into the Butte County Jail with a bail set at $6,000.00. 

September 21, 2018
BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT SEARCH WARRANT LEADS TO TWO ARRESTS
Berry Creek, Ca--On September 17th, 2018 members of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) served a search warrant in the 2690 block of Bean Creek Road, Berry Creek, after aerial overflights of the area revealed a commercial marijuana grow in violation of state law.
As SEU members were driving to the search warrant location, an individual in a Toyota truck passed the SEU caravan headed to the search warrant location.  The Toyota truck turned around and followed the caravan to the search warrant location.  Michael Smith, age 35 of Massachusetts was contacted and it was determined that he was part of the commercial marijuana grow site where SEU was serving the search warrant.  Smith was detained and SEU continued to serve the search warrant.
Upon serving the search warrant, two Hispanic males fled from the marijuana grow site and into the woods armed with a handgun.  The two Hispanic males would not be located by law enforcement.
Located inside a residence at the search warrant location was Mark De La Gardie, age 59 of Berry Creek.  De La Gardie was detained without incident.  A search of the residence and De La Gardie’s vehicle revealed processed and packaged marijuana for sale as well as three self-made AR-15 rifles, all illegal in California along with numerous rounds of ammunition and other firearms.
A search of the marijuana grow site revealed a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) occupied a travel trailer on the property and had rented the property from De La Gardie to cultivate marijuana.  A second marijuana grow site was located on property owned by Smith and also being tended to by the DTO.  Water was illegally being drafted from a nearby creek and stored in an above ground swimming pool to be used on the marijuana plants.
Smith was arrested for possession of brass knuckles, which were located in his Toyota truck, felony maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug sales, felony cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale.  Smith was booked into the Butte County Jail with a bail of $50,000.00.
De La Gardie was arrested for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, felony maintaining a residence for drug sales, armed in the commission of a felony, possession of an assault weapon, manufacturing an assault weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and felon in possession of ammunition.  De La Gardie was booked into the Butte County Jail with a bail of $150,000.00.
As SEU was leaving the search warrant site, SEU encountered a vehicle traveling on Bean Creek Road cross of Bald Rock Road.  The driver, Calvin Merrill, age 46 of Fair Oaks, was contacted and found to be driving on a suspended driver’s license due to DUI.  An overwhelming odor of fresh marijuana came from Merrill’s vehicle and a search of the vehicle revealed 3 pounds of processed marijuana secured in turkey oven bags.  Merrill was cited for driving on a suspended license due to DUI and transportation of marijuana for sale.

August 28, 2018

ADDITIONAL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION OPERATIONS DISCOVERED THROUGH ONGOING INVESTIGATION

Berry Creek, Ca--On August 27, 2018 members of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Special Enforcement Unit served a search warrant in the 100 block of Squirrel Lane in Berry Creek. The search warrant was part of an ongoing investigation from August 1, where Detectives eradicated 686 marijuana plants from an illegal commercial operation in the 100 block of Lizard Lane.

During the service of the search warrant, a total of 94 growing marijuana plants were eradicated from the property. Christopher John Spatz, 57, of Berry Creek, was cited for misdemeanor cultivation of marijuana 11358(c) H&S, and possession of marijuana for sale 11359(b) H&S.

Later that day, Detectives served another search warrant in the 100 block of Gamble Rd, Berry Creek. This search warrant was also related to the original case.

A search of the property revealed an indoor marijuana growing room, a butane honey oil lab, and 25.62 pounds of marijuana. Dustin Daniel McDonough, 28, of Berry Creek, was arrested for Felony violation of 11379.6 H&S, manufacturing a controlled substance, and armed in the commission of a felony 12022(A) (1) PC.

This case is ongoing, additional information will be released when it becomes available.

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For more information, please contact
BCSO Community Relations Unit
530.871.9440