MET Team Follow-Up: Search Warrant Leads to Major Seizure 

July 28, 2025 – Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office officials report that following this week’s illegal marijuana grow busts in the Greeley Hill area, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served a search warrant at a residence in Ceres, CA.

Inside the home, deputies discovered several pounds of processed marijuana, seized $15,680 in cash, and recovered six firearms, including both assault rifles and handguns.

Behind the home, deputies located an outdoor marijuana grow, and on the property, they found a shop fully set up for indoor cultivation, containing additional processed marijuana and growing equipment.

One individual, Javier Espindola, was arrested at the scene.

We often hear comments asking why we “waste our time and resources” on marijuana grows, especially since marijuana is legal in California. But this is exactly why we do it.

These aren’t small, recreational grows. These are black market operations that come with unregulated pesticides, contaminated waterways, guns, criminal networks, and environmental destruction. They endanger our communities, our wildlife, and our forests.

This is about more than marijuana. It’s about protecting our people and our communities.

“When you peel back the layers of these operations, you’re not just dealing with illegal plants, you’re uncovering networks of crime that have no regard for safety, the environment, or the law. I’m incredibly proud of the hard work our MET Team continues to put in to uphold our vow of community safety and protect the people of Mariposa County.”

– Sheriff Jeremy Briese

A huge thank you to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in Sunday’s warrant service.

Together, we’re standing up for our community and keeping Mariposa County safe.

Source & photos: Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office