$3 million in pot, heroin seized w/update

ER $3 million in pot, heroin seized
Roughly $3 million worth of marijuana and heroin was seized by local, state and federal agents this week after a year-long investigation into a Bridgeville man and his alleged co-conspirators completed.

The Humboldt County Drug Task Force, assisted by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, served search warrants Tuesday at 15 locations throughout the county, a news release stated.

Law enforcement seized 3,026 pot plants, about 10 pounds of processed bud, two ounces of heroin and 22 firearms, including an AR-15 assault rifle with a 30-round magazine, the release stated. Fifteen people were arrested at the various locations in Bridgeville, Fernbridge, Loleta and Eureka that were used primarily for growing marijuana.

Ryan Robletto, 29, who uses a Bridgeville address and is believed to reside in the community of Golden Gate, is alleged to be the head of the illegal marijuana growing and dealing operation, Drug Task Force Commander Jack Nelson said.
TS Drugs seized, arrests made in Humboldt raid
Robletto admitted to renting two of the locations where marijuana grows were operating: one in Loleta, another in Fernbridge. And Nelsen said agents found paperwork and photographs reportedly linking him to a number of other cultivation sites.

”Mr. Robletto is fairly open about his involvement in the cultivation and sales of marijuana,” Nelsen said. “We believe he's responsible for the sales of some fairly large amounts of marijuana.”

Nelsen said Robletto had little reservation about his alleged grows, helping investigators identify him early as a suspect. Robletto has marijuana tattoos and a MySpace page asserting his interests in the drug, both of which agents used to identify him, Nelsen said.

A clothing company, Humboldt Life, was owned by Robletto, Nelsen said, and may have been used in connection with the marijuana cultivation effort.

Update: (Un)anonymous on the Internet: Social networking sites offer tool for law enforcement
When drug enforcement agents began investigating Ryan Robletto, they looked him up on MySpace.

The first thing they reportedly found was a photograph of Robletto standing in a room, surrounded by marijuana plants. His name -- viewable to anyone with a MySpace account -- was “1cashcrop,” and he declared his heroes are, “The Farmers from Humboldt who give to the people ...”

On Tuesday, the 29-year-old Robletto was one of 15 suspects arrested in a countywide raid conducted by Humboldt County Drug Task Force agents investigating an alleged commercial marijuana growing ring.

And, according to drug task force Commander Jack Nelsen, those photos will likely be used as evidence against him in court.

Arcata Cannabis Crisis Gets Bush Administration's Attention - High Times Jul 24, 2008

The Tuesday bust
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force, assisted by HCSO, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and the FBI, concluded a one-year investigation into the alleged illegal cultivation and sales of marijuana by Ryan Robletto and co-conspirators. Agents served search warrants at 15 locations in Humboldt County and seized 3,026 marijuana plants, approximately 10 pounds of processed marijuana, two ounces of heroin and 22 firearms (including one assault rifle) were seized and 15 arrests were made at various locations.

This guy’s a genius

The Humboldt Herald often wonders at the embarrassing things young people post about themselves on the internet that may come back to haunt them in later years.

But it’s hard to find sympathy for the 29 year-old “1cashcrop” who advertised his activities online. Was it ego? Stupidity? A lack of common sense?

link - TOPIX/discussion thread

Everybody thought the Feds had left! Ha-ha -ha!.........
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Drugs seized, arrests made in Humboldt raid
Sean Garmire/The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 07/18/2008 01:16:05 AM PDT

A Tuesday raid, conducted by state and federal drug agencies throughout Humboldt County, ended with the arrests of 15 suspects and the seizure of thousands of marijuana plants, heroin and firearms.

According to Humboldt County Drug Task Force Commander Jack Nelsen, agents served search warrants at 15 locations in Eureka, Loleta, Fernbridge and Bridgeville. During the one-day raid, investigators reportedly discovered 3,026 marijuana plants and about 10 pounds of processed marijuana. Authorities also reportedly found two ounces of heroin and 22 firearms -- including one assault rifle.

The raid concluded a one-year investigation into an alleged circle of grow operations, all reportedly connected to 29-year-old Ryan Robletto. Nelsen said “a couple” of the grows were directly linked to Robletto; the others, more loosely linked.

According to Nelsen, Robletto admitted to renting two of the locations where marijuana grows were operating: one in Loleta, another in Fernbridge. And Nelsen said agents found paperwork and photographs reportedly linking him to a number of other cultivation sites.

(Un)anonymous on the Internet: Social networking sites offer to... - TOPIX discussion thread at TS

Darwin award winner.

◼ Drugs seized, arrests made in Humboldt raid - Times-Standard

Raid at a glance:

Bridgeville
500 block of Golden Gate Avenue
Arrests: Ryan Warlord Robletto, 29 and Brenton Richard, 28
Found: 18 marijuana plants, 3.5 pounds processed marijuana and one handgun

Fernbridge
Five apartments at 600 block of Fernbridge Drive
Arrests: Jacob Woody
Found: 899 marijuana plants and 2 shotguns

Loleta
300 block of Railroad Avenue
Arrests: Sean Furman, 23; Steven Streeter, 23; Allen Penna, 37; Emma Lorenc, 20
Found: 1,669 marijuana plants and four pounds processed marijuana

Eureka
1400 block of A Street
Arrests: Daniel Hawk, 52; Nathan Hawk, 22; Juniper Thompson, 19; Zachary Christianson, 29
Found: 170 marijuana plants, five pounds processed marijuana, one handgun and four rifles
1700 block of McFarlan Street

Arrests: Keith Garrett, 24
Found: 18 marijuana plants, 30 plant stalks and two shotguns
2400 block of Spring Street

Arrests: Michael Lentz, 24 and Paul Horn, 23
Found: Two ounces heroin, 240 marijuana plants, two shotguns, two handguns, three rifles, one assault rifle
2400 block of Garland Street

Found: 144 marijuana plants, three shotguns, one rifle

Source: Humboldt County Drug Task Force
Sean Garmire can be reached at 441-0514 or sgarmire@times-standard.com.