A Bend man is in custody, charges against a woman are pending review, and several other suspects are being sought by police following drug raids at two Bend homes Wednesday afternoon and evening, detectives reported.  A total of 270 marijuana plants, more than six pounds of dried marijuana, $30,000 cash, two shotguns, and two pistols were seized during the searches.

Drugs, cash, and weapons were seized when two Bend homes were raided Wednesday. CODE photo.

Over 240 marijuana plants and a very large, sophisticated growing operation run by automated lighting and watering systems was found in the basement of one of the homes. CODE photo.

Reese Wayne Hogan, 23, is charged with manufacturing and delivery marijuana. DCJ photo.

On Monday, Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team detectives received “creditable information” that criminal activity was occurring at the Deschutes River Woods home of two suspects at 60275 Cree Circle, Bend Police’s Lt. Jim Porter said. 

An investigation and surveillance led detectives to believe that a large-scale marijuana growing and sales operation was being run out of the house, and that a second residence at 295 SW Roosevelt was also involved.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the Cree Circle home about 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, the lieutenant said, and one suspect – identified as 24-year old Elisabeth Anna Alexander – was taken into custody. 

A search of the home revealed that several of the rooms had been altered to accommodate up to fifty marijuana plants in various stages of growth, said Porter.  The electrical system was altered to provide electrical sources for six large lights used to simulate sunlight, and a sophisticated venting and industrial filtering system was installed in an effort to mask the strong odor of the growing marijuana.

Detectives seized 28 mature plants which stood about three to four-feet tall, 35 harvested marijuana plants which were found drying in a second room, and two pounds of dried and packaged marijuana found in a third room.  86 bare marijuana stocks were discovered, said the lieutenant, indicating that a previous harvest producing up to 25 pounds of high-quality pot had been reaped in the past two weeks.

$30,000 in twenty, fifty, and one-hundred dollar bills were also seized at the Cree Circle home, in addition to a loaded sawed-off shotgun that was equipped with a pistol-type grip.  That type of weapon is most commonly used by the military and police SWAT teams, Lt. Porter said.  Two more loaded handguns were found near the marijuana, he added.

At about 6 p.m. while detectives were still searching the residence, the second occupant arrived home, Lt. Porter said.  Detectives attempted to take Reese Wayne Hogan, 23, into custody, but he fled the area.  Hogan was arrested a short time later by a Bend Police patrol officer, who located the suspect in his vehicle near SW Brookswood Drive and Powers Road.

CODE detectives and Bend police officers raided the second home at 295 Roosevelt Street in Bend about 7:40 p.m., Porter said.  In the basement they found over 240 marijuana plants and a very large, sophisticated growing operation run by automated lighting and watering systems.

“In total, 270 marijuana plants, six pounds of dried marijuana, $30,000, two shotguns, and two pistols were seized during the raids on the two homes,” Porter summed up.

Hogan was lodged in the Deschutes County Adult Corrections Facility on charges of manufacturing and delivering marijuana, and possible charges against Alexander are pending review by the Deschutes County District Attorney, the lieutenant said.

Several other suspects are outstanding and being sought by detectives of the CODE team.

Lt. Porter also offered the following information about marijuana and youth risk behavior:

The sales of marijuana to, and the use of marijuana by, teens has been on the increase and poses a substantial threat to America’s youth. The “Monitoring the Future” project from the University of Michigan conducted a study that indicated that 15.7% of eighth graders, 31.8% of tenth graders, and 42.3% of twelfth graders reported lifetime use of marijuana. In 2005, these percentages were 16.5%, 34.1%, and 44.8%, respectively. (Source)

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveys high school students on several risk factors including drug and alcohol use. Results of the 2005 survey indicate that 38.4% of high school students reported using marijuana at some point in their lifetimes. Additional YRBS results indicate that 20.2% of students surveyed in 2005 reported current (past month) use of marijuana.  (Source)