Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release: 

Edward Starkey

On June 14, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served two search warrants to investigate the illegal cultivation of marijuana in the area of County Line Creek Road near Dinsmore. The following agencies assisted the DEU: wardens and environmental scientists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, specialists from the Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit and inspectors from the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department.

Two parcels were investigated during the service of the search warrants. Neither parcels possessed or were in the process of obtaining a commercial cannabis permit with the County of Humboldt. During the service of the warrants, DEU deputies located 15 greenhouses and two outdoor marijuana cultivation gardens. Deputies eradicated a total of 3,075 marijuana plants and seized seven firearms.
Between both properties, assisting agencies also located the following violations:

  • Six water diversion violations (up to $8,000 per day fine)
  • Five stream pollution violations (up to $20,000 per day fine)
  • Two discharge of motor oil into soil violations (up to $25,000 per day fine)
  • Failure to prevent a hazmat spill (up to $25,000 per day fine)
  • Mismanagement of used oil filters and lead acid batteries (up to $25,000 per day fine)
  • Mismanagement of universal waste (up to $25,000 per day fine)
  • Improper disposal of garbage (up to $10,000 per day fine)
  • Improper storage and removal of solid waste (up to $25,000 per day fine)
  • Multiple grading without a permit violations (up to $10,000 per day fine)
  • Multiple building code violations (up to $10,000 per day fine)

Edward Daniel Starkey, 55, of Mad River, was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of unauthorized cultivation of marijuana, felon convicted of a violent crime in possession of firearms, streambed alteration without a permit and depositing hazardous materials into a waterway.

Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.