CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Search warrants served this week by the Clearlake Police Department resulted in one arrest, and the seizure of a loaded handgun and 6,800 marijuana plants.

Lt. Tim Celli said officers served the search warrants in the 16300 block of 28th Avenue on Monday morning.

He said the search warrants were for associated residences and several properties that were involved in the cultivation of commercial marijuana.

At the main residence, officers contacted 37-year-old Ricardo Perez of Napa. Celli said Perez was the only person at the location, however, it is believed there are other individuals involved in the operation.

Celli said the search of the main residence resulted in the discovery of a loaded handgun and approximately 2,300 marijuana plants in various stages of growth.

Some of the marijuana plants were located in the backyard of the location. In addition, Celli said there were other rooms located in the residence that had indoor growing rooms set up. Only some of the rooms were in operation.

There were additional rooms added onto the garage that were set up for indoor marijuana growing with tunneled passageways leading to the additional grow rooms, according to Celli.

There also was an apparatus set up for processing and drying marijuana, numerous illegal electrical connections set up at the residence and the house had unsafe mold conditions as well. Due to the unsafe conditions located at this residence, the property was red tagged by Code Enforcement, Celli said.

As a result of the search of the properties located across the street, Celli said officers seized an additional 4,500 marijuana plants in various stages of growth.

One fenced lot, located directly across the street from the initial residence, had more than 2,000 marijuana plants already planted in the ground, Celli said.

Celli said a second residence located across the street was set up as a processing location. There were drying marijuana plants and some processed marijuana discovered at that location.

Perez was booked at the Lake County Jail for cultivation, possession of marijuana for sale, being armed during the commission of a felony, and a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition due to a prior felony conviction for possession of marijuana sales, according to Celli.

His bail was set at $15,000, and he remained in custody early Wednesday, according to jail records.

Celli said this marijuana growing operation is still under investigation as to anyone else involved. Anyone with information regarding this large scale commercial marijuana operation is encouraged to contact Det. Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 315, or [email protected] .

The Clearlake Police Department will continue to investigate commercial marijuana operations located in the city, Celli said, adding that commercial marijuana grows will not be tolerated in the city.

If individuals are caught while engaged in commercial growing – including knowingly providing properties for these types of operations – potential risks include criminal charges related to cultivation, environmental crimes as well as civil, financial penalties. Environmental crimes will be forwarded to the California Environmental Protection Agency, Celli said.

Celli said the department urges any citizen desiring to grow medicinal marijuana to follow the permit process or risk code violations and civil penalties through the city's Code Enforcement division.

He said there is a very short time left to obtain permits for medical marijuana. Individuals desiring to grow medical marijuana in the city of Clearlake should contact Clearlake City Hall immediately.