The Santa Barbara Police Department released additional details Wednesday of the suspects arrested and property seized last Friday at the Hortipharm marijuana dispensary at 3516 State St. in Santa Barbara.
Lt. Paul McCaffrey, a department spokesman, said detectives with the police and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s departments seized:
» 32 pounds of cut, dried and processed marijuana
» 2.23 pounds of concentrated marijuana, also known as hashish
» 500 mature marijuana plants, averaging 4 feet in height
» 120 immature marijuana plants, averaging 12-18 inches in height
» More than $90,000 in cash
» Numerous bank accounts; the amount in each account will be determined through the court process.
Hortipharm is accused of operating outside the limitations of the Compassionate Use Act, which provides limited immunity from laws prohibiting marijuana sales, possession and cultivation, McCaffrey said.
Owners Joshua David Braun, 33, and Dayli Rose Braun, 26, were tracked to a room at the Bacara Resort & Spa in Goleta and arrested Friday on charges of laundering money through their other business, Pizza Guru, 3534 State St., which also was searched.
Joshua Braun also was charged with possession of marijuana for sales. Bail for each was set at $1 million.
Homes searched Friday on Almond Avenue in Santa Barbara and on Santa Rita Road in Lompoc had been used as indoor grow operations. McCaffrey said police seized a large quantity of indoor grow materials, including sophisticated irrigation and lighting, humidifiers, venting and filters used to prevent the odor of marijuana from escaping into neighborhood.
On Almond Avenue, he said, the main electrical line from the power pole had been redirected into the house to bypass the electric meter. Given the extent of lights, fans and filters running 24 hours a day, McCaffrey said, it was estimated that several thousand dollars worth of electricity had been stolen.
Other locations searched by police on Friday included:
» 270 Vereda Pradera
» 304 Mesa Lane
» 832 W. Victoria St.
» 7553 Hempstead in Goleta
» A storage facility in Goleta
Santa Barbara police detectives made the additional following arrests:
» Carl David Quinn, 31, for possession of marijuana for sales. Bail was set $50,000.
» Nicole Cate McKernan, 24, for possession of marijuana for sales and marijuana sales. Bail was set at $50,000.
» Tiffany Marie Shinn, 25, for possession of marijuana. She was cited and released.
Sheriff’s detectives arrested George Wardlaw, 46, for possession of marijuana for sales, and Andrew Edison, 35, for resisting arrest. Wardlaw’s bail was set at $30,000. Edison was cited and released.
McCaffrey said Wednesday that the investigation is continuing, and more arrests are expected.
— Noozhawk managing editor Michelle Nelson can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
