This story is related to the raid by local officials at the Pacific Greens dispensary in Santa Barbara, CA less than two weeks ago.

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Six arrested, two sought in bust

By Sam Womack/Staff Writer

After a six-month investigation, police announced Wednesday that they have arrested six men from Santa Maria to Los Angeles County and seized almost $1 million in drugs and cash as well as numerous firearms.

A Santa Maria man and a Santa Barbara man are still being sought for possession of marijuana and conspiracy to sell it, authorities added.

At a morning press conference at the Santa Maria Police Department, police displayed some of what was seized: 125 pounds of marijuana valued at $625,000, two pounds of hashish, $171,826 in cash and 16 firearms.

Chief Danny Macagni said the Santa Maria Police Department's Narcotic Suppression Team worked in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Regional Narcotic Enforcement Team, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement agency.

"This is a great example of cooperation between departments," added Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.

The arrests followed the serving of search warrants March 13 after the investigation indicated that Marcel Garcia, 31, of Buellton and some of his associates were involved in a conspiracy to sell marijuana, Macagni said.

He was charged with conspiracy to sell marijuana, transportation for sales of marijuana and possession for sales of marijuana.

In the residence of 27-year-old Joe Lino III in the 300 block of East Fesler Street in Santa Maria, detectives said they found children they believed to be at risk, along with seven pounds of marijuana and digital scales. Child Protective Services took the children into custody.

Lino was charged with conspiracy to sell marijuana, possession for sales of marijuana and child endangerment.

Gary Lyghts, 22, of Santa Maria, is still being sought for conspiracy to sell and possession of marijuana after detectives allegedly found two pounds of marijuana, $2,100 and a digital scale in his residence in the 100 block of East Bunny Avenue.

In response to a question about the two-week delay between the arrests and Wednesday's announcement, Macagni said the fatal shootings of four men March 18 in Santa Maria had been keeping the departments busy.

The investigation is still open, he added, and police expect to uncover more evidence.

On March 13, Marcel Garcia was detained with a traffic stop in Montecito when police found $120,000 in marijuana and cash in his car. At his residence in the 400 block of Dove Canyon in Buellton, police found 14 firearms and marijuana in the garage linked to Alexio Garcia, also of Buellton.

According to police, Alexio Garcia, 27, was originally arrested for being a convicted felon with a firearm. However, they said, evidence was found connecting him to 42 pounds of marijuana stored in Marcel Garcia's garage. He was charged with conspiracy, possession for sales of marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Jonathan Villarreal, 29, and David Najera, 27, are being held in connection with a large amount of evidence found in a residence in the 3000 block of Hidden Valley Road in Montecito. Police said they found $47,000 and 48 pounds of marijuana in a safe at the residence, along with a money-counting machine, scales, packing equipment, evidence of marijuana drying and packaging.

Police said Villarreal turned himself in Monday, was charged with conspiracy to sell and possession for sales of marijuana and was released on $25,000 bail.

Police continue searching for Najera.

However, Macagni said Wednesday that the federal Drug Enforcement Agency will be taking over the investigation after evidence was found that Najera was operating a medicinal marijuana facility called Pacific Greens Inc. in the 300 block of Milpas in Santa Barbara.

Police said the evidence showed that the facility was operating outside the guidelines of Proposition 215, the California law that allows medicinal use of marijuana.

Detectives said they also found a "sophisticated indoor grow" of 174 marijuana plants at Forrest Buchanan's residence in the 300 block of Woodley Road in Montecito. They said that the operation was also was outside Prop. 215 medical marijuana limits.

Buchanan, 33, was charged with conspiracy to sell marijuana, possession for sales of marijuana and cultivation of marijuana.

Robert Chevalier, 27, of Sylmar, was also arrested after detectives found five pounds of marijuana and a small indoor growing operation that police said appeared to be within Prop. 215 laws. He was charged with conspiracy to sell marijuana and possession for sales of marijuana.

Sam Womack can be reached at 739-2218 or swomack@....

March 27, 2008

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2008/03/27/news/centralcoast/news03.txt