Sheriff finds 400 pot plants on rural compound
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. - Law enforcement raided a 40-acre compound in southern Lane County on Wednesday, seizing 400 marijuana plants and $20,000 in cash.
The sheriff's office cited 6 adults on various drug charges. Five children found on the premises were removed from the scene by the state Department of Human Services.
Due to the size of the property on Blok Lane, the Lane County Sheriff's Office got help from police from Junction City and Cottage Grove, the Bureau of Land Management and the Oregon State Police in securing and searching the property.
The sheriff's office has heard complaints alleging illegal marijuana sales on the property periodically for some time.
While some of the people citied hold Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cards, the number of plants involved is significantly over the legal limits for production for medical purposes, the sheriff's office said.
The investigation also indicates that a significant amount of the marijuana grown on the property was being sold illegally in both Oregon and California, the sheriff's office said.
The compound included growing rooms constructed underground which, while not in use at the time of the raid, have clearly been used in the past, the sheriff's office said. There were additional growing areas inside buildings and outside on the property.
Cited as a result of the raid were:
- Jerry Fruichantie, 76, on Unlawful Manufacturing, Possession and Delivery of marijuana
- Samantha Fruichantie, 36, on Unlawful Manufacturing, Possession and Delivery of marijuana
- Russell Nealey, 40, on Unlawful Manufacturing, Possession and Delivery of marijuana
- Vera Saltsman, 48, on Tampering with Evidence, Interfering w Police, Frequenting place with Controlled Substances
- Brian Nealey, 38, on Unlawful Possession Controlled Substance, Unlawful Manufacturing Marijuana, Unlawful Delivery Marijuana, Unlawful Possession Mushrooms
- Donald Froggatte, 46, on Unlawful Possession Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession Marijuana
