On 10-19-17, at approximately 11:45 PM, an officer from the Angels Camp Police Department made a traffic enforcement stop on a truck pulling an enclosed trailer. The trailer had a non-functioning license plate, which is required equipment.
While approaching the driver the officer could smell the strong odor of marijuana emanating from the trailer. After initially denying possessing any marijuana, the driver eventually admitted to possessing what he claimed was medicinal marijuana.
In the end, seventeen (17) large plastic garbage bags of marijuana, totaling 156 pounds, were seized from the trailer. The driver, Rafael A. Iraheta, a 32 year old Bakersfield resident, was arrested, cited and released in the field on charges related to transportation and possession of marijuana, for sales. The marijuana was logged into evidence at the Angels Camp PD. During an interview, and prior to issuing the cite, Iraheta eventually admitted that he was employed on a marijuana grow site, at an undisclosed location in Murphys. Iraheta stated that he received the marijuana as payment for work he completed at the site.
Pursuant to changes in CA law related to Proposition 47, possessing any amount of marijuana for sales, or transporting any amount of marijuana, with certain limited exceptions, are misdemeanor offenses. The majority of misdemeanor offenses are handled by issuing a citation in the field.
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