KMUD news updated listeners on Operation Southern Sweep by talking to FBI spokesman Joseph Schadler. The only new information he gave was the FBI’s non-involvement in the Salmon Creek raids that happened same week 450 federal agents raided marijuana grow operations in other areas of Humboldt County. Schadler said he “didn’t know if we were involved in anything in Salmon Creek at all.”
No arrests or charges have come from the raids. Schadler said the FBI hasn’t decided if they’re going to charge anyone or what charges would apply.
KMUD also interviewed attorney Brenda Grantland who specializes in medical marijuana and forfeiture law. She called Operation Southern Sweep “very odd.”
Here’s a partial transcript (with some paraphrasing) of Grantland’s take on the situation:
Invading with 450 agents is pretty extreme, even with CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting). For the feds to do that and not arrest anyone is very astounding to me. The newspaper reports say they’re still investigating, and this is after the feds said the raids were a culmination of a 2-year investigation. Something is just not adding up. It’s almost like they believed they were going to find something they didn’t find. It’s just odd they haven’t arrested someone.
I’ve never seen them go after property like this. There’s no reason for them to swoop in with 450 agents just to seize property because the property’s not going anywhere. They could have quietly sat in their offices in San Francisco and filed forfeiture actions if they had facts to prove it. They wouldn’t have had to go raid all these places and bring in an army of 450 agents to do it. I think it’s probably politically motivated because it’s close to the election.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey seems to be pursuing the same policies that AG Alberto Gonzales was pursuing — strengthening the president’s power over the other two branches of government.
KMUD reporter Cynthia Elkins asked if Grantland had ever seen a case where there was a raid but no immediate charges
Yes, but the words they were using — “conspiracy” and “cartel” — if that were the case they would have arrested those people because of the chance of them leaving the country. Something must have been pushed forward while the investigation wasn’t quite finished or it was premature or based on something erroneous. Who knows what their tactics really are, only they know. It seems like they jumped to some conclusions.
Grantland said it was “totally wrong” to tell people they couldn’t be on their property for several days while feds conducted searches. She said they may have wanted to “poke around” without property owners around
Listen to the whole interview here (forward about 15 minutes).
The scope and size of the operation followed by lack of anything substantial or precedent setting is rather queer (as in abnormal). I wish the Times-Standard would dig into this, instead of meekly accepting what is spoon-fed to them by the feds.
This is such a joke. And you have Bob Ornelas and that dumpy looking Arcata Eye editor trying to rub this in the face of the community. They set a few people back a couple grow lights. Yay!
The people have allowed themselves to have no power over this Federal Goon squad. You can basically only be a cheerleader like Ornelas and that guy that looks like a potato sack wearing a hat. What’s his name?
Anyways, the people should be outraged as the Federal government spent probably well over $1,000,000 of your childrens money for no damn reason!
10:59, grow up. It’s a sad day that I have to side with Bad Bob, but you’re talking about a guy who just wants real people living in his neighborhood. Oh no, he dared speak to a reporter who asked him questions. He should be a good citizen and keep his mouth shut, eh? Fascist you are. Go back to Seattle or SF or Mexico. We don’t need your cartel here.
If Bob wants to cheer on the wasting of over $1,000,000 of debt money, so be it.
P.S. The federal government shelled out at least $38,461 to raid the growhouse next to Ornelas’ house. They probably spent much more. What did they get? Some lights! If you want to cheerlead that, why don’t you pay out the $38,461 instead of foisting it upon todays children?
It is too early to be making firm judgments about this operation.
As someone with some familiarity with justice department investigations I would caution everyone against making uneducated assumptions about the lack of arrests.
My expectation is that a fairly large number of indictments will be forthcoming. When those indictments arrive the charges will be numerous and serious and will all come with the potential for very long federal prison sentences.
As a small side point, the greater and more public the claims about how this bust was a big “loser” the greater the motivation for the feds to aggressively pursue indictments to further justify the big expenditure of resources.
There are a number of growers who are in for a big world of hurt in a couple of months.
Well, can we all agree that if the only thing that comes from this is the seizure of grow lights and grow paraphernalia this was not cost effective?
How much do grow lights cost? $300-400? Hell, Lets just say they cost $1,000 each to make it easy. Now, lets say the raid at Bob’s neighbors house cost the feds $30,000 in total. So, for a net of 6 lights, they spent $5,000 per light. Or $100 per plant for 10,000 plants.
Obviously they have spent far more than this on a two year investigation.
When they raided Northlight back in 2002-2003, they filed charges pretty quickly. That was over some artsy pipes. This is supposedly a RICO conspiracy. Anyone seriously afraid they are going to a Federal Penitentiary is probably already in Mexico.
I think there is already a mountain of evidence to call bullshit on this whole thing.
the more that the feds get exposed as failures, the more money they spend? sounds like many federal workers have insecurity issues. this type of reaction makes me think that federal workers are leaches on the system.
i cant wait for this madness to end when OBAMA gets in office. this will be my first vote for a democrat.
Lets also remember there are absolutly no witnesses that 10,000 plants were trucked out of Southern Humboldt. No witnesses that 10,000 plants were burned during the worst fire event in Northern California in 30 years. No pictures of Federal agents standing next to gigantic grows.
The week before the raids, the Federal Government raided grow houses in Willits. Check out the Press Democrat Website. The FBI/DEA couldn’t release enough photo’s of the operation! And that was over TWO grow houses!
Oh, and aren’t we supposed to be in a life and death struggle for Western Civilization against the Persian barbarians?
Hell, we could have given 450 federal agents orange vests, a hardhat and litter picker-upper and put them to work on the side of the freeway! Now that would have been a community service!
Not if you’re an illegal grower or enjoy cheering on criminals.
Thanks Snuff McGruff.
I’m not making firm judgments and, certainly the FBI is capable of obfuscating information, but, how in the heck could he not know the FBI were “involved in anything in Salmon Creek…”
Cynthia asked him specifically about Salmon Creek and his answer was as quoted above.
From the pic on your website, Kim, it certainly appears they are wearing FBI vests.
Maybe they didn’t know they were in Salmon Creek. Is there a city limits sign? :)
jane,
the “salmon creek road” exit sign should have been their first clue….
Heraldo, I talked to one. She was wearing an FBI vest. The FBI was there!
Gosh, do you think Schadler was lying?
It kind of saddens me to say this, but the FBI is capable of shocking incompetence. Remember the Sund-Pelosso murders in 1999? I covered the investigation extensively for a Bay Area news service. The FBI spent all its resources investigating what it called a “methamphetamine gang” in Modesto for months. Under pressure to make progress in the case, they kept dropping hints to the media that they were sure these low-lifes were responsible and that they just needed to get the right evidence.
The FBI had no clue. When the motel handyman, Cary Stayner, who had no connection to the people the FBI were investigating, suddenly killed again, the FBI had was caught completely unaware.
Although Stayner had a criminal record and was interviewed by the FBI shortly after he murdered the three women, Stayner was never under any suspicion. I was shocked that what is supposed to be the nation’s most prestigious law enforcement agency could be so far off-track in its investigation.
Peace be with you Heraldo
love eternal
tad
Sorry but the nations most prestigious (In terms of competence) law enforcers happen to be the CHP. Could it be that they see nasty shit happen all the time? Probably.
Hmm, lets look back in FBI history…
Olympic park bombing suspect is an innocent man who the FBI ruins. Then it takes them well over a decade to catch the actual guy once they knew who he was.
Ruby Ridge. The guy had a bench warrent, so the Feds trick him into helping out a person with a broken down car in order to bring him to justice (Thats just a f-cked up way to bring someone down, and cowardly). Then they murder his 14 year old son and dog. Then the FBI sniper shoots unarmed civilians including a mother holding an infant and murders her. Then they try and cover it all up. This incident is used as the excuse by the Oklahoma city bombers.
Waco. First the ATF screws it up by making a huge production out of the deal, unaware that cult members actually live and work in town. Then the FBI allows the place to burn down killing many people and children.
9/11
Leonard Peltier
The list goes on and on…
Anthrax
Peace be with you
Don’t forget Darryl Cherney and Judy Barry.
love eternal
tad
Well one home in Mckinleyville and a home in Trinidad were rolled on this morning. 7.15 and 9.00 multiple vehicles. 3 vans, big truck, white suv, and 4 local sherrif cars. they found nothing. they are doing follow up work. no arrests. just search warrants served.
they’ll be back
What was that movie with Dennis Hopper and Keifer Sutherland about the FBI and the hippie terrorist?
In memory of some real folk singers who came before that Cherney guy started trying to be the new Pete Seeger:
Big Rock Candy Mountain
One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fire was burning
Down the track came a hobo hiking and he said boys I’m not turning
I’m headin for a land that’s far away beside the crystal fountains
So come with me we’ll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there’s a land that’s fair and bright
Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night
Where the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every day
On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees
Where the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs
And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs
The farmer’s trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay
Oh, I’m bound to go where there ain’t no snow
Where the rain don’t fall and the wind don’t blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socks
And the little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocks
The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind
There’s a lake of stew and of whiskey too
You can paddle all around ‘em in a big canoe
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin
And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in
There ain’t no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picks
I’m a goin to stay where you sleep all day
Where they hung the jerk that invented work
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
I’ll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains
Hmmmm,me thinks that they may have been looking for Saddam’s WMD’s.
Thanks, Tad.
Flashback-funny movie!
the disdain for law enforcement is incredible to people outside of here
I loved the scene on the train where the hippie guy slips some acid in the cops drink.
I love the Big Rock Candy Mtn song. Thanks for puttin’ that up.
Yeah, this whole thing does seem a little wierd. Maybe Josh could enlighten us as to what the feds might be up to these days.
Heraldo: you should invite Josh Hedlund in for an interview and see what he says! :-)
As I read over the other posts, yeah, it does seem like the raids were a big waste of tax payer money, and it does kinda piss me off, more than a little, kinda like how pissed i was when this whole thing went down! WTF!!!
The wise are patient. Like mountains, they endure. All things, including knowledge of the outcome of massive federal raids, come to those who silently, calmly, wait.
Yoda!? Is that you!?
Blogging is a form of speaking, is it not? The wise one is not so silent after all, eh? :-)
Blogging is a form of communication. Blogging is speech, but not an act of speaking.
Posting user comments on a blog is not blogging. It is commenting.
Commenting is speech, but not an act of speaking. Commenting is a form of communication.
Ok, wiseguy, whatever. I was really just trying to joke around and pull your chain a little bit, not being serious, hence the happy face.
But since you wanna go there, it seems to me like you’re really just splitting hairs trying to seperate communicating, from speaking. Writers are described as having a voice. Writers speak to us through the writen text, do they not?
How do you define blogging, specificaly? Sure, blogging is a form of commenting. But I often say I was blogging last night for example. I don’t say I was commenting online. Ya get my drift, oh wise one? :-)
Another way of looking at this, with 450 agents staying here for one week… that comes to at least 18,000 man hours assuming they all worked your basic 40 hour week and no more. Or 1 hour and 48 minutes per plant supposedly seized! At a minimum!
P.S. I am wondering if they consider seeds as ‘plants’? My guess is yes.
A relative in Oregon says that this raid of 450 FBI is a cover for us to have our attention diverted from something else that was going on by the government at the time. Was there some other thing happenong besides 1,000 forest fires? Some civil liberties thing like the Congress validation of Bush eavesdropping?
your relative in Oregon is a nut. Why would the government need to divert the attention of humboldt county? this blog has gotten much loonier lately
sorry guys, heres whats really up;
stir the fire
rats scurry
trucks move
being afraid is the first sign of doubt
burning th ‘shtag brings em
keep up the good work, i know the real men (and women) are pulling gazillions of ‘bows legally this season and are paying taxes on every gramm (brit)
our votes counted, all 56+%
vs. kelly says I can grow as much as my MD says I can.
the feds want cash. pay yer bills and taxes dont go trying to hide 1+mil in fake properties, ,. BE SOMETHING in your community, even just a landscaper, solar tech, etc.. seriously.
ps local community centers (manilla,arc endev. somoa city, etc) need help, not like a bow or two, were talking about little (compared to pulling 134 lbs @ 2250$) cash, maybe a few gs, save our community. Feel good, the old timers that cared didnt just burry all the cashish and sit on it. They (the real community builders/growers) forked it out. Fieldtown’s gym, etc.. come on guys.. keep it under 100 lights and GIVE BACK to the community there is little chance of you(r) posse getting out of hand. (ie. old man in dows town)
thanks. my piece. my peace
6K with gas and authorized for 10lbs a year for eating purposes. legal and sb420 compliant. keep it real and the real 215ers will always be protected!
peace
oh yea.. when uncle harvey comes in winter with his few thou’ies in the big greenie, he spends diddly squat for the 12/12 he gets..
Well I’m not a nut, but I am a Rabbit.
Please vote for Me in November!
That is all.
Commander Bunny in 2008!
So investagations coming down. People I know, know of one person raided that was on Fel. Prob. for MJ for a couple of years. They cleaned him out but didn’t take him. To me what happens to him, in the following months, lets us all know what kind of ‘investagtion’ is really going on. Why would they let a known fellon go right there on the spot? People were amazed, and still are.
What was this all about? Last time Russoniello did this was in the 1980. Was something else going on that the Feds wanted to cover up for going on that week?
dont you get it… it happened next to bad boy BOB for a reason…hello…? i bet he runs for arcata council.
I think attorney Branda Grantland is on to something. There is simply not enough Fear in our part of the land. Have you been to the East Coast lately? Washington DC looks like Belfast in the 1970s. In New York City, they snoop through your bags on the subway (less so if you’re white). On the metro rail corridors, they bring dogs through at random.
Apart from the Arcata-Eureka airport, our little island of Homeland search-and-sniff theatrics, there is just not enough Fear of Authority here. Maybe squandering big bucks on 450 heavily armed posers was meant to address that.