Mendocino County man holds neighbor at gunpoint, cuts his pot plants

A Dos Rios man remained in jail Tuesday after allegedly holding his neighbor at gunpoint while cutting down his 88 marijuana plants.

James Barry Harte, 54, who claimed the pot garden was an illegal trespass operation, is being held on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment and making criminal threats, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Harte allegedly went to the neighbor’s home Sunday afternoon, ordered the man to the ground at gunpoint and then cut down the pot plants, sheriff’s officials said. Harte accused the victim and another person of trespassing and growing marijuana on his land, officials said.

Sheriff’s Lt. Kirk Mason said he has no evidence indicating the victim was trespassing.

Harte allegedly threatened to return and burn down the home with the man inside if he didn’t leave the property. The man was not injured.

Following the confrontation, Harte returned to his own house, where he was arrested a short time later. He’s being held in the Mendocino County jail on $40,000 bail.