On Friday, March 15th, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies executed two search warrants related to a large-scale illegal marijuana grow operation. The illegal grow was located in the 37000 block of Highway 58, Pleasant Hill, and the owner lived in the 5100 block of Saratoga Lane, Eugene. More than 1,900 growing marijuana plants were located and destroyed, along with several hundred pounds of processed marijuana. Deputies seized more than 200 suspected fentanyl pills, psilocybin mushrooms, $40,000 dollars in currency, a truck, and large generator on a trailer that was related to the production of marijuana. Deputies also seized 42 firearms, 4 suppressors, and over 100,000 rounds of ammunition. Two males were arrested, one at each location. They were identified as Liam Gibboney, 44, and Keoki Kaleikini, 46, both of Eugene. They were cited and released for Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana – Felony and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. Numerous county code and watermaster violations were discovered, many of which directly impacted surrounding properties. Lane County Land Management will follow up on the violations. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on this case by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. This investigation would not have been possible without the ongoing grant funding from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission’s Illegal Marijuana Market Grant (IMMEG). This grant was created in 2018 by the Oregon Legislature to assist local law enforcement agencies and district attorneys’ offices in their efforts to address the illegal marijuana market in Oregon.
