California pot farmers allegedly kept teen captive in steel box

LOS ANGELES — Two Northern California men pleaded not guilty Friday to a federal grand jury indictment accusing them of sexually assaulting a runaway teen and keeping her in a metal box on their secluded marijuana farm.

Ryan Alan Balletto, 30, and Patrick Steven Pearmain, 25, are accused of cultivating and trafficking more than 1,000 marijuana plants as well as forcing a 15-year-old runaway from Hollywood to help them. Balletto also faces weapons charges for the vast cache of military-grade weapons he allegedly kept on the 276-hectare rural property.

The two were indicted Thursday, three months after authorities raided Balletto’s farm and home, and arrested Pearmain at a west Sacramento hotel. Prosecutors said they are considering charges related to the alleged kidnapping, captivity and assault.

The case broke in late April when sheriff’s deputies, acting on a tip, knocked on Balletto’s door, looking for the missing girl. Authorities say the visit spooked the men and that Pearmain took her to west Sacramento, where he had her call authorities and say she was OK. Police traced the call and found Pearmain and the girl.

The girl told prosecutors that she was kept in the box twice for a total of three days.