Two Indictments for Marijuana Cultivations in Six Rivers National Forest and Shasta Trinity National Forest

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned two indictments today charging a total of seven defendants with conspiracy to cultivate marijuana, marijuana cultivation, and depredation of federal lands, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents in the first case, between July 19 and Aug. 17, Cornelio Morales Rodriguez, 35, of Oaxaca, Mexico; and Ukiah residents Kevin Humberto Quijada Colocho, 23, and Damian Isaac Rios Faber, 20, were involved in the cultivation of 1,806 marijuana plants east of Haman Ridge in Six Rivers National Forest. About 100 pounds of processed marijuana were seized at the site. The defendants are also charged with depredation of federal lands and resources.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Trinity County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Highway Patrol Northern Division Air Operations, and the Trinity County District Attorney’s Office.

According to court documents in the second case, between May 23 and Aug. 28, Timothy Charles Wilson, 70, of Pioneer; Filemon Padilla Martinez, 54, of Mexico; Oscar Francisco-Diego, 31, of Guatemala; and Francisco Gomez Sanchez, 37 of Chiapas, Mexico, were involved in the cultivation of 1,054 marijuana plants in the Tomhead Mountain area in in Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with assistance from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting both cases.

If convicted of the marijuana charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of damaging public lands, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account several variables. These charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.