Fresno, Calif. — A Mexican national has been sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana in the Stanislaus National Forest.
Eleno Fernandez-Garcia, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was found guilty of the crime, which took place in Tuolumne County.
On March 23, 2024, Fernandez was discovered at the grow site in possession of pruning shears and two cellphones, covered with marijuana debris. Three other individuals fled from the area.
The cultivation operation contained 9,654 marijuana plants and was located in the Basin Creek drainage in the Stanislaus National Forest. The site was near recreational activities and Sugar Pine Springs, a natural spring used by two companies for bottled water.
The operation caused significant damage to the environment. Investigative agents found the pesticide Weevelcide, which contains aluminum phosphide, a lethal restricted use chemical; two types of rodenticides; 837 pounds of soluble fertilizer; 45.65 gallons of liquid fertilizer; and a dead raccoon. Nearly all of the native vegetation was cut down to make room for the marijuana plants.
A 2,000-pound trash pile and irrigation tubing were also found at the site. The grow site was in a grazing permit area where cows roamed freely and had access to the plants and chemicals. The Basin Creek complex also lies upstream of several species of conservation concern, including the Central Valley steelhead, federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act; chinook salmon, federally threatened under the ESA; and yellow-legged frog, a candidate for listing as threatened under both the federal and the California ESA.
Fernandez was ordered to pay $45,688 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the environmental damage caused by the toxic chemicals and cultivation operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Environmental Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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