Custodio Ibarra-Nunez, 42, of Merced, was arrested a year later and ultimately found guilty of conspiracy to cultivate marijuana, marijuana cultivation, and depredation of public lands.
Between May and July of 2019, he ran an operation that grew more than 4,000 cannabis plants south of Rays Peak on public land, according to court documents.
When law enforcement officials raided the site in 2019, Mr. Nunez was not present, but he was later found to be illegally cultivating marijuana with a minor in Merced.
In January 2020, a federal grand jury returned indictments against him on the three counts he was ultimately found guilty of. The nature of the charges required a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years; he faced life in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
During a February 2020 raid of his residence, where he was arrested, officers discovered more cannabis plants, cultivation tools and supplies, packaging material, vacuum sealing machines, and evidence—including postal tracking receipts—indicating he was shipping cannabis across the country.
He remained in custody for the past four years, which will be counted as time served and applied to his sentence.
The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Mr. Nunez was assisted by Francisco Madrigal Magan and Mario Albert Lopez, who were each arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 18 months and 24 months in prison, respectively, for conspiring to illegally manufacture marijuana and depredation of public lands and resources.
Illegal cannabis cultivation on public lands has become increasingly common in recent years. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, several licensed and unlicensed cannabis growers told The Epoch Times July 17 that with the passage of Proposition 64 in 2014—which legalized recreational cannabis but also strengthened regulations governing grows and production—some cultivators are turning to forests and public property.
They explained that some counties—including Humboldt and Tehama—are placing liens on properties with unlicensed cannabis activity.
