San Andreas, CA…On 9/5/2019 the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Unit served a search warrant for illegal marijuana cultivation at an address in the 1300 block of Hubbard Road in Sheep Ranch. Deputies eradicated 4347 growing marijuana plants that were being cultivated in seven (7) large “hoop house” structures. Additionally, deputies seized a small amount of processed marijuana. Calaveras Code Enforcement Officers were called to the scene and located numerous code violations including unpermitted structures and substandard electrical practices.

Deputies located two persons at the site and both were placed under arrest.Patrick James Owen, age 64 of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, and Douglas Sheppard, age 41 of Sparks, Nevada, were booked into the Calaveras County Jail on charges of 11358 H&S Illegal Marijuana Cultivation, 11359 H&S Possession of Marijuana For Sale, and 182 (A)(1) PC Conspiracy to Commit Crime. Both Patrick Owen and Douglas Sheppard are being held on $100,000 bail.

The investigation of this illicit marijuana cultivation operation is ongoing.
The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information on illegal marijuana cultivation sites to call the Sheriff’s Marijuana Tip Line at (209) 754-6870