Hopland marijuana investigation leads to arrest of Santa Rosa men

Narcotics officers this week wrapped up a four-month investigation into a Santa Rosa-based marijuana trafficking operation, arresting three armed Santa Rosa men, detaining a fourth and seizing about 3,000 marijuana plants, according to Lake County sheriff’s officials.

The three men were arrested Monday at an illegal cultivation site in a Hopland canyon. A fourth man was hospitalized after he attempted to flee officers and was bitten by a police dog. He was expected to be arrested at a later date, officials said.

Also Monday, a search of a Todd Road house in south Santa Rosa turned up an undisclosed amount of processed marijuana and other evidence connected to the investigation, according to officials.

The four suspects were found at the Hopland site, off Highway 175 near the Lake-Mendocino county line. Lake County and state Bureau of Land Management agents found them armed with a semi-automatic pistol, officials said.

Rogelio Perez Sanchez, 27, of Santa Rosa ran from investigators but was stopped by the police dog.

Detectives arrested Jose Ramirez Remigio, 27, Gustavo Ramirez, 23, and Rigoberto Gonzales Hernandez, 18, all of Santa Rosa.

Water had been diverted from a spring about half-mile away that had been dammed in multiple spots. Detectives also found signs of pesticides and possible environmental impacts were being analyzed.

Ramirez Remigio, Ramirez and Hernandez were taken to the Lake County Jail and booked on suspicion of cultivating marijuana by diverting water, being armed during a felony crime and possessing marijuana for sale. Bail was set at $15,000 each.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.