Crime & Safety

Altadena Sheriff's Raid House with Guns, 50 Pot Plants, Meth, Stolen Computers

All four were in custody and due to appear in court in Pasadena on Monday

Three men and a woman were facing possible gun and drug charges Friday after deputies raided a house in Altadena and found more than 50 growing marijuana plants and an elaborate cultivation system.

The arrests were made after deputies served a search warrant early Thursday at the home in the 500 block of West Palm Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Also found in the house were two guns, an undisclosed amount of methamphetamine and a large number of items such as laptop computers and other electronic equipment that is believed to have been stolen, officials said.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the sheriff's department, the arrested suspects were:

  • Christopher Mesa, 26, who was booked on suspicion of cultivating and possessing marijuana for sale
  • Steven Mesa, 36, who was booked on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, possession of methamphetamine and receiving known stolen property
  • Jeffrey Ortiz, 29, who was booked on suspicion of receiving known stolen property and had outstanding narcotics-related warrants
  • Lucero Rodriguez, 23, who was booked on suspicion of marijuana possession and receiving known stolen property.

All four were in custody and due to appear in court in Pasadena on Monday, according to the sheriff's department.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Christopher Mesa and Rodriguez were both being held in lieu of $20,000 bail, Mesa at the Inmate Reception Center in downtown Los Angeles and Rodriguez at the sheriff's Crescenta Valley Station, according to the sheriff's online Inmate Information Center.

Ortiz was jailed at the Crescenta Valley Station on a no-bail hold, according to the sheriff's department.

Jail records for Steven Mesa could not be found.

It was not immediately clear if the Mesas were related.

Sheriff's Detective Jeff Lohman, who is heading the investigation, is trying to locate the possible theft victims.

—City News Service


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