The Merced County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff’s Enforcement Team (SET Team) led by Sergeant Ray Framstad served a search warrant yesterday, July 16, 2020, on a large marijuana processing center.

Through the SET Teams investigation, the residence located in the 13000 block of White Crane Road in Livingston, was being used as a processing center for several marijuana grows within Merced County.

Located inside the residence and outbuildings, the SET Team eradicated 2,453 pounds of finished marijuana product. Additionally, $5,652.00 in cash was seized as evidence of proceeds from the processing center, and seven subjects were arrested during the search warrant.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the SET Team notified Merced County Code Enforcement and Environmental Health due to the dangerous chemicals and electrical hazards found on the property.

In total Sergeant Framstad and his team have served 79 search warrants regarding illegal indoor and outdoor marijuana grows in Merced County between October 2019 and July 2020.

Through those search warrants the SET Team has eradicated 126,413 plants, 11,542 pounds of finished product, seized $25,037 cash, and confiscated 16 firearms. All of the search warrants have been referred to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Sheriff Warnke would like to remind everyone that it is illegal to grow marijuana outdoors in Merced County.

You may legally possess six marijuana plants per residence and may only grow indoors.