Marijuana investigations result in arrests for Mariposa County burglaries

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Two marijuana cultivation investigations led to multiple people connected to burglaries in Mariposa County being arrested, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies said for the past several months, residents in the Greeley Hill area have experienced residential burglaries.

While the burglary investigations were ongoing, the sheriff’s office Marijuana Enforcement Team executed a marijuana cultivation search warrant in Greeley Hill on July 22.

They eradicated 3,870 plants and one arrest and a follow-up warrant in Ceres, California, on July 27. This arrest led to to seizure of processed marijuana, $15,680 in cash, six firearms, and another arrest.

With the investigation into these marijuana cultivation sites and sales, deputies were able to develop new leads connected to the ongoing burglaries.

The leads established probable cause for multiple search warrants targeting properties in the Greeley Hill area.

On Sept. 29, search warrants were executed, and the operation led to the recovery of numerous items suspected to be stolen from both Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, 43 firearms (some stolen), over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, half an ounce of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia consistent with sales, resulting in three felony arrests.

The investigations remain ongoing.