Federal agents are investigating the family of a Mendocino sheriff's captain in connection with a marijuana farm, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports.
Officials on Thursday served a search warrant on property near Highway 20 in Potter Valley where agents reportedly found more than 500 marijuana plants. The property is owned by and is the residence of Johnny Johnson, the father of Sheriff’s Capt. Randy Johnson. The captain’s brother, John Johnson, also lives on the property. Randy Johnson owns and lives on property adjacent to his father’s, according to county records.
Randy Johnson was assigned to inspect pot farms as part of a program aimed at separating medical marijuana -- which is legal under state law -- from illegal marijuana farms. Growers were allowed to have up to 99 marijuana plants, and paid the county $50 each.
You can see Johnson at work in a video, Republic of Cannabis, on this topic produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting and KQED News in association with Frontline. Johnson comes in at about 3:10.
Federal agents raided the farm featured in the program last year.