A massive marijuana cultivation operation on public land in the Sierra National Forest has been busted, with one suspect taking a guilty plea in court. Juan Pedro Jimenez, 39, of Ensenada, Mexico, entered a guilty plea to conspiring to manufacture and distribute marijuana in connection with the large-scale operation on Chowchilla Mountain in Mariposa County.
The operation, which spanned over several acres, was discovered in July of last year, with authorities removing 6,919 marijuana plants from the site. Investigators also found a plethora of equipment, including fertilizer, trash, water lines, and propane tanks, which were used to sustain the massive marijuana farm.
The cultivation activities caused extensive damage to the land and natural resources, with native trees and plants being cut down and steep hillsides being terraced to plant the marijuana. Water was also diverted from a nearby creek to irrigate the plants.
As part of his plea deal, Jimenez agreed to reimburse the U.S. Forest Service for the cost of cleaning up the site.
Jimenez is scheduled for sentencing on February 1, 2016, before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. He faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.
The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service and Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Related Federal Cases
- Alan Fernando Gomez-Paniagua, Marijuana Cultivation, California 2024 · Florida
- Sair Maldonado-Soto, Marijuana Cultivation Conspiracy, California 2024 · Michigan
- Rosario Beltran-Leal, Marijuana Cultivation Conspiracy, California 2018 · North Carolina
- David Wayne Holleman, Possessing with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, California 2012 · Iowa
- Chad Straub, Conspiring to Distribute Marijuana, California 2014 · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking