Marijuana growers damage prehistoric site in Sequoia National Forest

FRESNO — Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’neill Monday sentenced two men for conspiring to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana in connection with a large-scale cultivation operation that impacted a prehistoric site, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Juan Carlos Lopez, 32, of Flagstaff, Ariz., was sentenced to five years in prison, and Javier Garcia-castaneda (Garcia), 38, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Lopez was ordered to pay $5,930 in restitution and Garcia was ordered to pay $5,233 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage to public land and natural resources caused by their cultivation activities.

The sentences were imposed following their guilty pleas in April.

According to court documents, the men conspired with each other and Rafael Torres-armenta (Torres), 30, and Carlos Piedra-murillo (Piedra), 30, both of Michoacán, Mexico, to cultivate marijuana in the Domeland Wilderness. The Domeland Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in Sequoia National Forest and is known for its many granite domes and unique geologic formations.

Law enforcement officers seized over 8,000 marijuana plants, 17 pounds of processed marijuana, a .22-caliber rifle, a pellet rifle, and hundreds of rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.

Piedra previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and was sentenced earlier this month to serve two years and one month in prison. Torres previously pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on July 10.