UPDATE, 2:15 p.m.:

HCSO Public Information Officer Samantha Karges clarified with the Outpost moments ago that the citations are technically still arrests, but officers opted to cite the men without booking them in order to free up resources.

“They would have been booked and immediately released on their own recognizance anyways, so it’s more sensible to cite them and make them sign a promise to appear in court,” Karges said. “It’s a different way of issuing [the charges]. It frees up our resources both in our jail and patrol to address other issues.”

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Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release:

On April 13, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Abbot Lane in Arcata for a welfare check.

During their investigation, deputies smelled a strong odor of marijuana emitting from a detached garage at the residence and observed other signs of an unpermitted indoor cultivation operation. Due to these observations, the Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) began an investigation into the property.

On the morning of May 3, 2018, deputies with the Sheriff’s Office DEU served a search warrant at the property on Abbot Lane. While serving the warrant, deputies located 1,199 marijuana plants, in addition to suspected methamphetamine, cocaine and hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Ian MacDougall, 33, was cited for the following misdemeanor charges: cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales, possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms and possession of methamphetamine.

Zach Simas, 33, was cited for misdemeanor possession of cocaine.

Anyone with information about 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.