House Fire Reveals Illegal Marijuana Grow 

June 6, 2023 - Riverside County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Sunday, June 4, 2023, about 7:00 p.m., deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Station responded to a report of a house fire in the 15000 block of Carolina Avenue. CAL FIRE also responded and extinguished the flames preventing the fire from traveling to neighboring homes. It appeared the fire started due to an illegal electrical bypass used to power an illegal marijuana grow. Deputies authored and served a search warrant at the residence, where they located evidence of an illegal marijuana grow operation. Moreno Valley Code Enforcement was contacted and will conduct a separate investigation into the safety of the structure and the marijuana operation. No one was in the home at the time of the fire, and there were no reported injuries. There are no suspects in custody at this time; the investigation is ongoing.

As a reminder, "Community Policing" involves partnerships between law enforcement and community members. Business owners and residents are encouraged to report criminal activity directly to law enforcement by calling Sheriff’s Dispatch at (951) 776-1099, or by calling 911 if the matter is an emergency.

Any additional information about this fire and illegal cultivation operation is encouraged to call Deputy E. Garcia of the Moreno Valley Station POP Team or Deputy J. Leon Watch 1 Patrol at (951)-486-6700.

Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Joseph Fitzgerald

File # MV231550264

Source: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office