Deputies raid south Santa Rosa pot farm

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies raided a southwest Santa Rosa marijuana farm Thursday, arresting a number of people believed to be growing pot illegally.

Neighbors said patrol cars and a SWAT vehicle showed up before 7 a.m. at the gated, rural property at 1645 S. Wright Road. Deputies carrying assault rifles blocked the street at both ends, detouring traffic onto other roads.

Neighbor Megan Joyce said she was glad to see the Sheriff’s Office doing something about what she described as a neighborhood problem. Joyce said neighbors on both sides of her have large pot gardens that she feared could attract thieves onto her property.

“It’s crazy,” said Joyce, standing in her backyard. “They’re doing it. And they’re doing it, too. I imagine the police will be visiting them next. ”

Deputies at the scene declined to comment beyond saying they planned to eradicate a marijuana garden and made some arrests.

The exact number of people taken into custody was unknown. A sheriff’s spokeswoman did not return calls Thursday.

About a half-dozen young people who said they were “camping” on the property were allowed to walk out with their belongings in backpacks. One man carrying a skateboard identified himself and his friends as French-Canadians and Germans but declined further comment.

Santa Rosa attorney Ben Adams said marijuana was being grown on the property by members of a 300-person collective. Adams said the collective was legal and had proper paperwork on display. Under Sonoma County guidelines, the collective was authorized to have up to 900 plants, he said.

He said he did not know why deputies decided to raid it.

“They shouldn’t be hassled if they had 900 or less,” he said.

Another Santa Rosa attorney, Steve Spiegelman, who represents the property manager, also said the collective was legal. He said he watched from across the street as up to 15 people were arrested.

“They were coming out in twos and threes in handcuffs, were patted down and put into sheriff’s vehicles and taken away,” he said.

Meanwhile, some in the neighborhood were taken by surprise by the deputies’ presence.

Cathy Alvillar, who works at a group home across the street, said she arrived at work to find the street blocked off and numerous patrol cars. She said she had no idea pot was being grown across the street but didn’t mind it anyway.

“This war on drugs is ridiculous,” she said. “It’s being fought all wrong.”

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.