New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: marijuana

Three SAPD cops who ransacked a marijuana dispensary charged with petty theft and vandalism

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Police Brutality, Santa Ana 2 Comments

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 16CM02387

Date: March 14, 2016

THREE SANTA ANA POLICE OFFICERS CHARGED WITH PETTY THEFT AND VANDALISM DURING SERVICE OF SEARCH WARRANT ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Three Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) officers were charged today with petty theft and one with vandalism during a legal search of a marijuana dispensary pursuant to a search warrant. Brandon Matthew Sontag, 31, and Nicole Lynn Quijas, 37, and Jorge Arroyo, 32, are charged with one misdemeanor count of petty theft. Sontag is also charged with one misdemeanor count of vandalism under $400. If convicted on all counts, Arroyo and Quijas face a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $1000 fine and Sontag faces a one year and six months in jail and a $2000 fine. They are scheduled for arraignment April 11, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-54, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

SAPD detectives seize $5.7M worth of marijuana being grown in a local warehouse

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives seize approximately $5.7 million dollars worth of marijuana in service of a search warrant

Location: 401 N. Sullivan

Subject: Indoor Marijuana Grow

On 12/09/15, members of the Santa Ana Police Department’s Medical Marijuana Dispensary Task Force (MMDTF) served a search warrant in Santa Ana at a suspected illegal marijuana cultivation site at 401 N. Sullivan Street. The location is a large, warehouse-type building in an industrial area. The illegal activity was identified after the task force received tips from concerned citizens. Continue reading→

The SAPD seeks to identify a suspect in the shooting of a marijuana dispensary’s owner

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives Request Media & Public’s Assistance in Identifying Suspect Wanted In Attempted Murder Case Of Marijuana Dispensary Owner

Suspect: Male, Unknown Race, 20-30 years old, 5-4 to to 5-6, thin build

On November 2, 2015, at approximately 3:00 p.m., the victim, a 48 year-old male, was exiting his business and walking to his vehicle in the parking lot of the business complex at 1900 East Warner Avenue when he was shot at by an unknown gunman. The suspect fled on foot southbound through the business complex. Continue reading→

Federal lawsuit alleges that Santa Ana officials have ties to medical pot dispensaries

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Editor Posted in Civic Affairs, Drugs, Elections, Marijuana, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Attorney Matthew Pappas has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Santa Ana, on behalf of the Sky High Holistic marijuana collective and others, alleging in part that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and other city officials have financial ties to certain medical marijuana dispensaries in the city and have been directing police to shut down their competitors, according to the Voice of OC.

According to the lawsuit, Pulido conspired to derail a grassroots marijuana initiative in the city while soliciting cash from existing pot clubs who the Mayor allegedly promised winning slots in a Feb. 5 city-sponsored marijuana dispensary lottery. The lawsuit claims the payments were used to pay for gathering public support for the city’s favored pot initiative, according to the OC Weekly. Continue reading→

Press conference and rally against the SAPD’s marijuana dispensary raids set for 6/15

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Drugs, Entertainment, Long Beach, Marijuana, Police Brutality, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 16 Comments

A press conference regarding Santa Ana Police Department outrageous raids on medical marijuana dispensaries will be held this Monday, June 15, 2015, at 1:30 p.m., at the Westin Hotel located at 333 E. Ocean Blvd., in Long Beach.

The event organizers ask that you please dress as you would for court support. Continue reading→

SAPD Detectives investigate marijuana grow

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Detectives investigate marijuana grow

Orange County Fire Authority responded at 7:00 AM this morning to a fire alarm coming from a commercial building in the 1100 block of East 17th Street.

When OCFA personnel arrived, five males fled the business in various vehicles. Continue reading→

OC NORML’s Holiday Party set for Dec. 20 in Santa Ana

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The OC NORML Holiday Party is set for Saturday, December 20th, from 8PM- Midnight in Santa Ana.

A $20 donation is requested at the door. The event includes dinner, drinks and a traditional OC NORML holiday ornament.

They are also hosting a $10 Secret Santa Exchange and an ugly holiday sweater contest as well. Continue reading→

The City of Santa Ana can now shut down all the medical marijuana dispensaries

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Drugs, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The Santa Ana City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an enforcement plan to shut down illegal pot shops in the city now that Santa Ana residents voted Nov. 4 to legalize and tax medical marijuana collectives, according to the OC Register.

Under the plan, city officials will begin shutting down illegal stores after Feb. 5, which is when city officials are scheduled to have sorted out which shops will be allowed to continue operating, according to the Voice of OC. Continue reading→

2014 General Election voter guide for Santa Ana voters

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Alex Padilla, Angie Rosario Cano, Ballot Measures, Cecilia Aguinaga, David Benavides, Elections, Everlena Oliver, Gilad Salmon, Janet Nguyen, John Palacio, Jose Solorio, Marijuana, Mark I. Lopez, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Mike Dalati, Mirna Velasquez, OC Assessor, Politics, Rene Gomez, Rigo Rodriguez, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Sherry Walker, Shuntele Andrews, Tom Daly, Valerie Amezcua 11 Comments

This voter guide addresses the Orange County local and legislative races as well as the State and Local ballot measures.

General Election, November, 2014:

Local Elections

Santa Ana City Council

Mayor:

Endorsed Candidate: Mayor Miguel Pulido

Other Candidates: Roman Reyna, Mark I. Lopez

Note: Even Reyna’s friends and allies admit that he is not a capable candidate for Mayor of Santa Ana. This will be Pulido’s final term and in the next two years we need to recruit better candidates than the likes of Reyna, who has only served two years on the Santa Ana City Council. Continue reading→

OC Sheriff’s Department destroys marijuana operation in Laguna Wilderness Park

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Orange County Leave a comment

Orange County Sheriff

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Marijuana Cultivation Eradicated by Narcotics Investigators

LAGUNA WILDERNESS PARK, Calif. – (August 15, 2014) – On Friday, August 15, Orange County Sheriff’s Department narcotics investigators are conducting a marijuana cultivation eradication operation in the Muddy Canyon area of the Laguna Wilderness Park. The location is south of the SR 73 toll road, east of Newport Coast Drive near East Coastal Peak Park and Ridge Park Road. The plants are located on property in OC Parks jurisdiction, outside city limits. Investigators have estimated there to be approximately 2500-4000 marijuana plants in various stages of maturity. Continue reading→

OC NORML to host a meeting about the SAPD raids on medical marijuana dispensaries

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Marijuana, Orange County, Santa Ana 2 Comments

OC NORML is hosting a South County Meeting tonight at 8:30 pm at Fuddruckers located at 23621 El Toro Rd., in Lake Forest.

Tonight they will be discussing current state legislation regarding medical marijuana and the Santa Ana raids on medical marijuana dispensaries that took place yesterday and on in mid-July. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man charged with human trafficking, pimping and selling pot

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, OCDA, Santa Ana 10 Comments

Ronald Preston Spurlock, 36, of Santa Ana was charged today and is expected to be arraigned this afternoon on one felony count of human trafficking, five felony counts of pimping, five felony counts of pandering a victim over 18, two felony counts of sale or transportation of marijuana, one felony count of possession of marijuana for sale, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon for a 2008 prior conviction in San Bernardino, according to the Orange County District Attorney. Continue reading→

Wil marijuana dealers become Santa Ana’s new political power players?

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Drugs, Marijuana, Politics, Santa Ana 18 Comments

A proposed Santa Ana City Council sponsored ballot initiative to tax and regulate medical marijuana collectives could soon create a situation where, of some 150 shops city officials estimate are selling the drug, only 12 would likely be allowed to continue operating, according to the Voice of OC.

The city’s proposal would restrict the shops to industrial zones and would also be banned from opening within 1,000 ft. of schools, parks and residential areas. Only a fraction of land isolated to the city’s southern corners meet the requirements, meaning 18 to 24 shops could open, officials estimate, according to another Voice of OC article. Continue reading→

Will the Santa Ana City Council draft their own marijuana ballot measure?

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Drugs, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana city leaders are set to take further steps to place a medical marijuana initiative on the November ballot, after supporters gathered enough signatures last year to force a citywide vote, according to the Voice of OC.

The proposal would prohibit the city from banning medical marijuana dispensaries, prevent city police from joining federal raids on pot shops and require that the city allow at least 22 pot shops, with no maximum.

At the same time, city council members will decide whether to create a competing ballot measure that would restrict the city to having no more than eight pot shops, all of which would have to be in industrial areas, and impose a 5 percent additional tax. Continue reading→

CA Cannabis and Hemp Initiative campaign seeks donations and signatures

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, california, Marijuana, Politics 3 Comments

California Cannabis and Hemp Initiative Requests Donations to Place Initiative on 2014 Ballot

Grass Roots Organization Continues to Collect Donations, Signatures and Momentum

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The 2014 California Cannabis and Hemp Initiative (CCHI 2014), a grass roots organization endorsed by the California Green Party,

needs financial donations to pay for signature gathering and to promote the initiative. Volunteers are also needed. The California Cannabis and Hemp Initiative permits the use of marijuana by adults 21 and older and regulates, enforces and taxes recreational marijuana sales like beer and wine. Continue reading→