From the Eureka Police Department:

On 11/20/12, at about 9:30 AM, investigators with the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP) and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office served a search warrant at a residence on the 3600 block of ‘O’ Street, Eureka. This was a joint operation conducted by investigators from both agencies. The warrant was obtained by DA Investigators after both units received independent citizen complaints about a possible indoor marijuana grow at the home.

Investigators detained the sole resident, Robert Brian Barfield (age 38 of Atlanta, Georgia), at the front door. During a subsequent search of the spacious two-story residence, investigators discovered nearly the entire bottom-level (7-8 rooms) had been converted into a large-scale sophisticated indoor marijuana cultivation operation. This included 4 dedicated grow rooms and a dedicated drying/trimming room.

Investigators located and seized 299 growing marijuana plants of varying sizes and 136 ½ pounds of already harvested, drying marijuana. A loaded lever-action .30-.30 Winchester rifle was also located in Barfield’s bedroom.

During questioning, Barfield admitted he’d moved to Eureka from Georgia around 3 months ago for the specific purpose of growing marijuana. He added this was “because it’s legal” here.

 

Investigators observed a potential electrical fire hazard associated with the indoor marijuana growing operation due to a substantial amount of unpermitted wiring etc. Officials with the City of Eureka’s Building Department responded to inspect the wiring and PG&E was subsequently contacted to disconnect the electrical service to the residence.

Additionally, the unemployed Barfield was renting the residence from its out-of-state owners for $3,000.00 a month. EPD will also be contacting the owners so that they remedy the criminal activity and unauthorized modifications made to their property.

During the search of Barfield’s residence, investigators learned he had also rented a storage unit at a ministorage facility located on Indianola Cutoff. DA investigators obtained and later served a second search warrant on the storage unit. Numerous grow pots were found in the unit.

Barfield was arrested by POP investigators and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for unauthorized planting/cultivating/harvesting/processing marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, and maintaining a place for unlawfully selling/providing a controlled substance.

Anyone with information concerning suspected drug activity occurring in the City of Eureka is encouraged to call the Problem Oriented Policing Unit at (707) 441-4373 or the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at (707) 444-8095. Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding criminal activity, including drug activity, is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line 707-268-2539.