On September 3, 2014 at approximately 3:29PM, Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team (ACCNET) Agents assisted by the Amador County Probation Department executed a search warrant at the Justin Lawrence Brach residence in the 7600 block of Goose Hill Ranch Road in Ione. Brach’s residence was identified in June as being the location of a large indoor/outdoor medical marijuana cultivation site.
During the course of the investigation and search warrant, ACCNET personal located a sophisticated indoor marijuana cultivation site in the attached garage which had been completely remodeled for the purpose of growing marijuana plants. The indoor cultivation site consisted of multiple lights and ballast, carbon dioxide generators, reflective wall material and electronic watering and feeding equipment. The indoor cultivation site also contained a fully functional butane honey oil (BHO) extraction laboratory along with a gas powered industrial size marijuana processing mill. The processing area contained boxes and packaging material that was consistent with marijuana being packaged for sale and shipment via commercial shipping companies. Agents located a sealed box ready for shipment which contained numerous individual packages wrapped and disguised to look like Christmas gifts. Upon opening the wrapped gifts, they were found to contain sealed baggies stuffed with approximately ten pounds of processed marijuana. The residence also contained digital scales, hundreds of individual containers used to package BHO for sales, hundreds of homemade marijuana edibles intended for sale, approximately one pound of BHO and sixty pounds of processed marijuana. It was noted that the room containing the BHO lab was adjacent to (shared a wall with) a four month old child’s bedroom. Agents located a hand written ledger describing Brach’s plans to make a million dollars selling marijuana within the first two years of his business. A loaded handgun was also found at the residence. Brach is a convicted felon and is precluded from possessing firearms.
At the rear of the residence, Agents located an outdoor grow consisting of 40 growing marijuana plants, next to a large green house containing an additional 147 growing marijuana plants. Brach admitted he only uses around 0.5 grams of marijuana per month for his medical purposes and that he is growing a vast majority of the marijuana for the purpose of making a line of edible marijuana infused candy which he intended to market in marijuana dispensaries and head shops. Preliminary estimates indicate that Mr. Brach could have yielded 200 pounds of processed marijuana had his crop been harvested.
Amador County Child Protective Services was notified and responded to address the child endangerment issue. Justin Lawrence Brach, 35, of Ione was arrested and transported to the Amador County Jail for booking. Brach was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, conspiracy, and child endangerment. Bail was set at $100,000.00.
Posted by TSPN TV on Wednesday, September 10, 2014
