Raids along the Applegate River revealed fire and electrical hazards along with 36,000 marijuana plants. [Photo courtesy Josephine County Sheriff’s Office]
Greenhouses clustered along the Applegate River
Investigators found tens of thousands of marijuana plants, as well as hazards like a bonfire burning next to a pile of flammable trash during raids along the Applegate River in Josephine County.
Crews executed 11 search warrants Tuesday between the 8000 and 10000 blocks of Williams Highway. The stretch of freeway south of Grants Pass winds along a wooded section of the Applegate River.
Southern Oregon is in extreme fire conditions with dry fuels. But that didn’t stop people at one of the sites from cooking food over a campfire next to cardboard, plastic, a discarded mattress and other trash. The trash pile and fire were also near a thicket of flammable blackberry bushes, as well as a charred burn barrel, according to photos from the raids.
Aerial photographs showed a dense concentration of plastic-covered greenhouses hidden among trees near the river.
During the raids, 36,000 marijuana plants and approximately 2,500 pounds of processed marijuana were seized and destroyed, according to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.
The area of the attack had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations, which could lead to civil forfeiture of the property, the sheriff’s office said.
Several workers were detained for officer safety, but the main suspect was not located during the execution of the warrants. The suspect could face charges of illegal manufacture of marijuana, illegal possession of marijuana and misappropriation of water, the sheriff’s office said.
The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team executed the search warrants with the assistance of Crime Area Drug Enforcement, Josephine County Code Enforcement, the team of Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Medford and Jackson County Police Department’s Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team. Sheriff’s Office
In other raids Monday, crews executed a search warrant in the 200 block of College Drive near the Rogue Community College campus outside Grants Pass, and a second search warrant in the 1200 block of Pickett Creek Road west of Merlin, the sheriff’s office said.
Approximately 3,000 marijuana plants and 1,000 pounds of processed marijuana were seized and destroyed. The properties had multiple electrical, water and solid waste code violations that could lead to civil forfeiture of the property, the sheriff’s office said.
Ian Seiwell Hogue and Christine Ann Hadik, both 34, were arrested and booked into the Josephine County Jail, the sheriff’s office said.
Hogue, who lives in the 200 block of College Drive, allegedly admitted to accepting $8,000 to grow marijuana on his property, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Josephine County Circuit Court records show he faces charges of unlawful manufacture of an article of marijuana and unlawful possession of an article of marijuana.
In a previous case, Hogue was arrested in June for writing checks that were based on his father’s US Bank account. However, his father died in 2001. The father’s account was overdrawn by more than $1,000 when Hogue was arrested, according to a probable cause affidavit in that case.
Hogue failed to appear in court on charges of identity theft and first-degree theft, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, court records show.
Hadick, who lives at the other raided property on Pickett Creek Road west of Merlin, was found to be in possession of more than 2,000 marijuana plants and 10 pounds of marijuana, according to a probable cause affidavit.
He faces charges of unlawful manufacture of an article of marijuana and unlawful possession of an article of marijuana, court records show.
Contact Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or valdous@rosebudmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @VickieAldous.
