08/13/2009
Defendant Sentenced in Outdoor Marijuana Grow Case
Eugene, Ore. – Arnoldo Morelos-Valdez, 27, of Washington state, was convicted on August 12, 2009 of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, after pleading guilty on May 29, 2009. Morelos-Valdez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Ann Aiken to 70 months in prison with five years of supervised release.
In July 2008, federal and state law enforcement agents began investigating an outdoor marijuana grow in the Owen’s Creek area in Lane County, Oregon. Surveillance linked Morelos-Valdez and several other individuals to the grow. On September 23, 2008, the grow was searched and 3,148 marijuana plants were seized, many of which had already been harvested. Dried marijuana, tents, food and fertilizer were also seized. A search warrant was executed at Morelos-Valdez’s residence in Washington state. Authorities found two handguns, more than $7,000, and 66 pounds of processed marijuana.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Sweet handled the prosecution of the case.
