On Wednesday, December 21st, 2022, detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement team and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team concluded an investigation involving a Sunriver area home that is alleged to be growing and processing illicit marijuana and delivering it within the central Oregon area.
This case began with community complaints and tips about two suspects who were brothers from Bend, operating an illicit marijuana grow in a residential area.
The Deschutes County Illicit Marijuana Enforcement Team requested the assistance of the Central Oregon Drug Team to further their investigation. As a result, CODE and DCIME detectives, drug agents, and intelligence analysts conducted surveillance of the two brothers.
On December 21st, 2022, at approximately 7:00 AM, CODE and DCIME detectives, with the assistance of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s SWAT Team, executed a Search Warrant on the 16700 block of S Century Drive and found 22 pounds of processed marijuana flower, 243 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, and four firearms were seized.
The possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal for recreational use in Oregon. However, large, unlicensed marijuana operations remain illegal. These unregulated operations pose dangers to the public and the environment.
A Deschutes County Building Code Compliance Officer assisted after detectives observed numerous building code violations. The property had dangerous electrical wiring conditions, non-permitted electrical panels, exposed electrical wires, un-permitted interior walls, and un-permitted living structures.
Two people were arrested at the scene and later cited, in lieu of custody. Both were charged with Unlawful Manufacturing and Possession of Marijuana. A third suspect was not home at the time of the Search Warrant, but detectives arrested him later. The case to the Deschutes County District Attorney’s office.
The Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement (DCIME) program is a partnership between the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the Bend Police Department, and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office to address illegal marijuana activity in Deschutes County.
