Owner of Byron ranch charged with illegally growing 458,353 marijuana plants

BYRON — In what authorities hope allows them to seize large amounts of cash and property, an Alameda man has been charged with three misdemeanors for allegedly cultivating more than 450,000 cannabis plants.

The defendant, a 50-year-old Alameda man, was charged with allowing a place for preparing a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and cultivating marijuana, all misdemeanors. The Alameda County Sheriff’s office started investigating him in 2022, based on a tip that he was illegally growing marijuana under the guise of running a hemp business, authorities say.

In a June 2022 raid of his property on 13600 Christensen Road, police reportedly found 419,102 plants being grown in 311 greenhouses, many of which the defendant allegedly rented to people for $1,500 a month. Officers also seized $230,000.

Police allege that the Alameda man was seeking to acquire hemp permits, but acknowledged to county officials that he ran illegal grow houses.

Subsequent raids of one of his Alameda County properties turned up three firearms — including an assault rifle found in his Alameda home — 33,949 more marijuana plants, $64,962 in cash and 3,626 pounds marijuana. Finally, last February, police returned to the Byron property and seized another 5,302 plants, authorities say.

Prosecutors have already signaled their intention to seize unspecified “assets and property” under state asset forfeiture laws, which allow for police to take money, land, cars and other valuables used for criminal activity or acquired through it. The defendant is next due in court June 20 for a pretrial hearing, court records show.