(Photo above provided by a LoCO reader. Other readers reported seeing law enforcement donning riot gear with rifles drawn.)

Arcata Police Department press release: 

Officers from the Arcata Police Department served a search warrant at a residence in the 3200 Blk of Spear Ave on Wednesday morning, October 22nd.

Upon searching the property, officers located a large marijuana growing operation in an unattached garage. A second growing operation was discovered in a mobile home on the property. The entire mobile home had been converted to an indoor growing operation. Officers seized nearly 1000 mature growing marijuana plants and approximately 20 pounds of processed marijuana. Two motorcycles and two trucks were also seized from the location.

The investigation led to two additional locations, one on Spear Ave, where nearly $25,000, three hand guns, three rifles and a Harley Davidson Motorcycle were seized. And a second location in the 100 Blk of F St, where a 150 Kilowatt trailer mounted generator was seized.

The indoor growing operation that was being conducted consisted of over twenty, 1000 watt grow lights, and was utilizing nearly 20 times the electricity of a typical Arcata family home. 

Gary Earl Goddard, 52, of Arcata, was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Jail on the following charges:

• 11358 Health & Safety-Cultivation of Marijuana
• 11359 Health & Safety-Possession of Marijuana for Sale

City of Arcata Building Inspectors along with Arcata Fire Protection District Personnel responded to assess the unpermitted wiring modifications that had been made to the home.

It was determined the wiring posed a significant hazard that necessitated the disconnection of electrical services.