Three of four suspects in a county drug bust have pleaded to
charges and are awaiting sentencing as a result of investigation by
the Sheriff
’s Office Special Operations team and the District Attorney’s
office.
Three of four suspects in a county drug bust have pleaded to charges and are awaiting sentencing as a result of investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations team and the District Attorney’s office.
The fourth suspect will begin his trial for multiple felony charges in February.
Rojellio Farias, 28, of Morgan Hill, Jose Mendoza, 43, of Morgan Hill and Julio Garcia, 53, of Morgan Hill pleaded guilty Nov. 18 to charges stemming from a raid conducted on a property in unincorporated Morgan Hill off Sycamore Avenue. Farias plead no contest to one count of marijuana cultivation and one count of possession of marijuana for sales, both felonies. He is expected to be sentenced to serve seven months in the county jail.
Mendoza pleaded no contest to one count of cultivation of marijuana, one count of possession of marijuana for sale and admitted the firearm (a loaded .22 caliber semiautomatic pistol) enh-ancement, all felony charges. He is expected to be sentenced to 12 months in the county jail.
Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of cultivation of marijuana, one count of possession of marijuana for sale and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, all felony charges from a marijuana cultivation case from 2003.
Garcia also pleaded to charges of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales, and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a bird for purposes of fighting from his arrest this year, Garcia is expected to be sentenced to three years and eight months in a state prison.
Rodrigo Pimentel, 37, of Morgan Hill will begin his trial for multiple related felony charges in February 2005.
What started out as an early-morning raid for marijuana plants in August also netted about 80 cockfighting birds and two weapons, according to police. Sheriff’s deputies found about 4,000 marijuana plants at the Armsby Lane property, just off Sycamore Avenue in the western foothills.
The four suspects were arrested. Three juvenile males, ages 13, 14 and 16, who were working on the site with the plants, were cited for cultivation of marijuana and released.
Deputies found the spurs that the birds wear when they fight, the hoods to keep them calm before fighting and steroids that were believed to be used on the birds. The 15 deputies who raided the west Morgan Hill farm also found a shotgun and handgun.
Anyone having information concerning unlawful marijuana cultivation can contact the Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division at (408) 808-4770.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at ubil@morganhillt imes.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 ext. 202.
