By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Indoor pot grow halted
pot
A sophisticated marijuana growing operation was shut down by Ceres Police last week at 3412 Jordonalo Drive. - photo by Photo courtesy of Ceres Police Dept.

A house full of marijuana plants were seized by Ceres police on Monday, July 22 after a citizen called with suspicions about possible burglars being inside the house.

The house was not being burglarized, police learned after checking out the 11:41 p.m. phone tip. Instead the renters were cultivating pot at 3412 Jordanolo Drive.

Officer Jeremy Lewis saw several subjects moving inside the house and made contact with two men at the front door.

"It was an indoor marijuana grow inside of every room in the house," said Lt. Brent Smith.

No one was living in the house, only using it to grow marijuana.

The suspects had bypassed the electrical system at the meter in an attempt to avoid detection through excessive power consumption caused by lights.

"They'll usually completely destroy the inside of the house to power their lights," said Smith. "There's houses like that all over the Valley."

Two Ceres males, aged 16 and 17 were arrested for cultivation of marijuana and possession of a .12 gauge firearm.

Ceres police are reported these other noteworthy crimes:

• FIGHT ENDS IN STABBING - Police detectives are seeking the public's help in identifying the person who stabbed a 39-year-old Ceres transient man on Wednesday, July 24.

The attempted homicide occurred outdoors in the area of El Camino Avenue and Sixth Street.

Police Lt. Brent Smith said that the victim was dropped off at Ceres Fire Station #1 at 7:17 p.m. to be cared for since he was suffering from a stab wound to the left rib cage. The wound was serious as the man was suffering from a collapsed lung. Paramedics arrived to treat the man and transported him to Memorial Medical Center.

The fight may have occurred between the man and other transients.

• TWO ARRESTED AFTER DRUGS FOUND IN CAR STOP - Two Modesto men went to jail on drug charges after the car they were riding in was stopped by an officer who had suspicions about the license plates.

At 8 p.m. on Monday, July 22, Officer Jeremy Lewis stopped a 2003 Ford Taurus at Ninth Street and Pecos Avenue since the license plates did not match the car on record. He detained the two occupants under the suspicion that the car was stolen. Officer Joe Wren brought to the scene his canine Zeus who quickly sniffed out suspicious odors indicating drugs. Inside the passenger seat, Wren found a bag of used hypodermic needles and methamphetamine.

Driver Doyle Ashlock 67, of Modesto, was arrested and booked on charges of transportation and possession of meth and syringes, having false license plates on a vehicle and driving on a suspended license.

Passenger Anthony Hazelwood, 44, of Modesto, was also booked for possession of meth, transportation of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic syringe.

• FOUR ARRESTED WITH STOLEN CAR - Four teenage boys were arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle due to a tipoff from a resident of the 3100 block of Malik Drive in west Ceres.

Police received a call at 4:27 a.m. on Tuesday, July 23 about a small white vehicle stopping in front of 3329 Malik Drive to unload a male passenger who immediately jumped into a backyard over the fence. Officer Steve Carvalho investigated and found the rear garage door wide open while hearing voices coming from the garage. He found three juveniles around a dismantled black 1991 Honda Accord which had previously been stolen in Ceres. Immediately one attempted to run out the back but was stopped by Carvalho. Others tried to flee in a car outside but were stopped by other officers.

Fabian Hurtado, 18, of Ceres, was arrested and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle. Also arrested were a 16-year-old Turlock boy, a 16-year-old Ceres boy and a 17-year-old Ceres teen. Their names were not released due to a state law that protects the identities of minors arrested for crimes.

• PICKUP GOES INTO CANAL - Richard Gomez, 63, of Ceres, managed to escape injury when he allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and his car drifted into the Turlock Irrigation District canal along Moore Road near Roeding Road on Sunday morning, July 28.

Gomez crashed his 1992 Ford F150 pickup into the canal at 5 a.m. Police arrived and found Gomez got out of the vehicle before it became submerged under water and was standing on the side of the road. He explained that he fell asleep before he went in.

The pickup was partially wedged under the Roeding Road bridge where it remained until it was removed on Monday.

• SCHOOL VANDALIZED FOR COPPER: Police took a report of another metal theft that will cost the taxpayers thousands in repairs.

Three air conditioning units mounted atop the Blaker Kinser Junior High School gymnasium were damaged when a metal thief broke into them to remove copper tubing.

The crime occurred the evening of Tuesday, July 23. Police have no suspects.