Sheriff's Operation Hammer Strike Continues With More than 700 Eradications During Weeks 49 and 50
DATE/TIME: August 01, 2022, through August 14, 2022
INCIDENT: Outdoor Marijuana Cultivations-Operation Hammer Strike, Weeks 49 and 50
LOCATION: #1 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#2 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#3 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#4 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#5 - 31800 Block of Bumpkin Road, Lucerne Valley
#6 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#7 - Parcel with no address, Hinkley
#8 - Parcel with no address, Hinkley
#9 - Parcel with no address, Hinkley
#10 - Parcel with no address, Hinkley
#11 - Parcel with no address, Hinkley
#12 - Parcel with no address, Hinkley
#13 - 6200 Block of Cayucas, Phelan
#14 - 4100 Block of El Mirage Road, El Mirage
#15 - Parcel with no address, El Mirage
#16 - 4900 Block of Bookasta, El Mirage
#17 - Parcel with no address, El Mirage
#18 - 30000 Block of Jasper Road, Newberry Springs
#19 - 32600 Block of Foothill Road, Lucerne Valley
#20 - 46200 Block of National Trails, Newberry Springs
#21 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#22 - 34500 Block of Hereford Road, Newberry Springs
#23 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#24 - Parcel with no address, Lucerne Valley
#25 - 10600 Block of Ranchero, Hesperia
#26 - Parcel with no address, Phelan
#27 - Parcel with no address, El Mirage
#28 - 11800 Block of La Costa Court, Yucaipa
SUSPECT(S): Lucinda Aponte-Montiel, 56 year old female resident of Pacoima, WA. Location #4
Jose Aponte-Montiel, 59 year old male resident of Puerto Rico. Location #4
Rene Guzman, 44 year old male resident of Lucerne Valley, CA. Location #5
Jose Cortez, 45 year old male resident of Lucerne Valley, CA. Location #5
Vanessa Cisneros, 40 year old female resident of Lucerne Valley, CA. Location #5
Alberto Gallegos, 48 year old male resident of Lucerne Valley, CA. Location #5
Joshua Day, 34 year old male resident of Vallejo, CA. Location #7
Timothy Welker, 67 year old male resident of Hinkley, CA. Location #7
Lauren Bains, 43 year old female resident of Hinkley, CA. Location #8
James White, 66 year old male resident of Hemet, CA. Location #8
Tomas Vargas, 60 year old male resident of Mexico. Location #12
Froylan Estrada, 39 year old male resident of Mexico. Location #14
Guoding He, 65 year old male resident of Los Angeles, CA. Location #15
Linping Cong, 53 year old male resident of San Gabriel, CA. Location #15
Jiehua Fang, 25 year old male resident of Los Angeles, CA. Location #18
Kathryn Richardson, 66 year old female resident of Lucerne Valley, CA. Location #19
Robert Richardson, 42 year old male resident of Lucerne Valley, CA. Locations #19
Juan Barrera, 31 year old male resident of Inglewood, CA. Location #19
Edgar Fuentes, 31 year old male resident of Fontana, CA. Location #21
Jianguo Fang, 64 year old male resident of Los Angeles, CA. Location #22
Wanpeng Shi, 42 year old male resident of Alhambra, CA. Location #26
Jin Liu, 42 year old female resident of Brooklyn, NY. Location #26
Xu Chen, 58 year old male resident of Brooklyn, NY. Location #26
Fin Yang, 57 year old female resident of Brooklyn, NY. Location #26
Zuqun Lin, 49 year old male resident of California, MD. Location #26
Lei Guan, 40 year old male resident of Monterey Park, CA. Location #26
Fu Huang, 59 year old male resident of Brooklyn, NY. Location #26
Hong Li, 52 year old male resident of Rosemead, CA. Location #28
VICTIM(S):
SUMMARY: Between August 01, 2022, and August 14, 2022, investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department - Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET), along with San Bernardino Sheriff's deputies from several different Patrol Stations, served 28 search warrants at various locations in Lucerne Valley, Hinkley, Phelan, El Mirage, Newberry Springs, Hesperia, and Yucaipa.
MET personnel had received numerous complaints about large outdoor and indoor marijuana cultivations in these areas. Over the past two weeks, San Bernardino County Sheriff's personnel located and arrested 28 suspects. Investigators seized 47,627 marijuana plants, 7,295.8 pounds of processed marijuana, eight guns, 206 grams of concentrated marijuana, 170 grams of methamphetamine, and over $57,000 in cash. Investigators eradicated a total of 728 greenhouses found at these locations, as well as seven indoor locations. Investigators mitigated one THC extraction lab, two electrical bypasses, and recovered three stolen vehicles.
The investigations revealed the cannabis cultivations were not in compliance with California's Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) and San Bernardino County's ordinance prohibiting Commercial Cannabis Activity. San Bernardino County has a law prohibiting Commercial Cannabis Activity, which includes growing marijuana plants outdoors.
The Sheriff's Gangs/Narcotics Division will continue to enforce California's cannabis laws and San Bernardino County's cannabis cultivation and distribution ordinance. Persons found guilty of violating the state law and county ordinance are subject to fines, prosecution, and seizure of property.
Property owners who are growing marijuana or are aware their tenants are growing marijuana on their properties in violation of state law and local ordinances may also be subject to civil or criminal sanctions. Property owners are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement or code compliance agency to confirm if cultivating cannabis is prohibited or allowed under specific regulations.
The suspects were cited or booked on charges of Cultivation of Cannabis, over six plants, Possession for Sales of Marijuana, Possession of Stolen Property, Illegal Water Discharge, Manufacturing a Controlled Substance, and Conspiracy.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Sheriff's Gangs/Narcotics Division at (909)387-8400 or [email protected]. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or may leave the information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.
Refer: Sheriff's Public Affairs
Station: Gangs/Narcotics Division
Phone No.
Case No. 652200920
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SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department
Address/Location
SBSD - Headquarters
655 E 3rd St
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 909-387-3700