SOUTH LAKE COUNTY – A recent Lake County Sheriff's Office investigation led to the seizure of nearly 3,000 marijuana plants last week and a Maryland man's arrest.

Michael Ricardo Hardy, 42, was arrested on Friday as part of an investigation into grows in Lower Lake and east of Clearlake Oaks, according to Sheriff's Capt. James Bauman.

Bauman said that the investigation into the grows began on May 15, when sheriff's officials conducted aerial surveillance over south Lake County.

There, two separate marijuana grows were sighted off of Morgan Valley Road in Lower Lake and at the Double Eagle Ranch in Clearlake Oaks, Bauman said.

Subsequent to followup investigations into both of the grows, search warrants for both sites were signed by Superior Court Judge Richard Martin on June 4 and on June 11 both warrants were served by members of the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit and federal agents with the Bureau of Land Management, according to Bauman.

The search warrant for the Morgan Valley Road location was served at 9 a.m. Friday, said Bauman.

Neighbors reported seeing helicopters in the area as the raid took place.

Bauman said that, upon their entry to the approximate 40-acre property, detectives located and detained Hardy near two of five grow sites which were being irrigated by a 50,000 gallon water bladder.

Hardy told detectives he had been hired about one month prior to caretake the property but he would not identify who hired him, said Bauman.

Detectives found several medicinal marijuana recommendations during the search of the property, two of which belonged to Hardy, Bauman reported. Two firearms were also located in a shed near a tent where Hardy was apparently residing.

A total of 1,749 marijuana plants were seized from the property and Hardy was arrested. Bauman said hardy was subsequently booked at the Lake County Jail on felony charges of cultivation, possession of marijuana for sale and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. He posted $10,000 bail the day following his arrest.

The second search warrant for the Double Eagle Ranch property was served at about 1 p.m. on Friday, June 11, Bauman said.

Detectives found and eradicated approximately 1,213 marijuana plants, said Bauman. However, the property was unoccupied and no arrests were made.

He said 17 medicinal marijuana recommendations were posted throughout the property; however, 16 of the recommendations were for individuals residing outside of the county.

Bauman said that case is pending further investigation into the identity of the property owner and those responsible for the marijuana grows.