Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team raids Bend outdoor grow, seizes 197 plants, arrests resident

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office’s Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team raided an outdoor marijuana grow in northern Bend Wednesday morning, seizing nearly 200 plants, nearly 100 pounds of processed marijuana and a butane honey oil lab and arresting a 39-year-old resident.

The team concluded a short-term investigation with the 7 a.m. raid in the 63000 block of Berg Lane, just north of Cooley and Hunnell roads, Sergeant Jason Wall said.

The IME Team, assisted by the sheriff’s office SWAT Team, executed a search warrant on the 10-acre property and found four greenhouses containing 197 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, as well as 95 pounds of processed marijuana, marijuana extract packaged for re-sale and the BHO lab, Wall said.

"The possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal for recreational use in Oregon. However, large, unlicensed marijuana operations remain illegal," Wall said in a news release. "Due to these operations being unregulated, they pose dangers to the public and the environment.:

"Illegal marijuana grow facilities have a very high electrical demand due to the lights, fans, and other equipment used," he continued. "Overloaded electrical wiring has caused fires in other marijuana grow facilities.:

City of Bend Code Enforcement also responded to the grow site and deemed the residence to be un-inhabitable and unsafe, temporarily condemning the structure, the sergeant added.

The resident was arrested at the location and taken to the county jail on felony charges of marijuana possession and manufacturing and a misdemeanor delivery charge. He was booked into jail around 10:30 a.m. and conditionally released at 1:45 p.m., pending an Oct. 26 court date.

Along with those charges, Wall said there is a "commercial marijuana enhancement factor" that will increase the potential penalties.

"The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team would like to thank the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, Oregon Water Resources, City of Bend Code Enforcement, Deschutes County Code Enforcement, Oregon State Police, City of Bend Police Department, Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, and the Army National Guard Counterdrug Program," Wall said.