$47 million in marijuana destroyed; 3 arrested

$47 million in marijuana destroyed; 3 arrested

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

By Special to The Madera Tribune


A tip to the county's narcotics hotline resulted in the uprooting of 15,899 marijuana plants, estimated to be worth $47 million, and the arrest of three people on felony drug charges, according to the Narcotic Enforcement Team.

On Sunday evening agents hit two alleged marijuana gardens at opposite ends of Eastern Madera County, one in North Fork, the other near Oakhurst.

Arrested were Peggy Bosse, 55, of North Fork, her daughter, 33-year-old Heather Medina of Lakewood, Colo. and 31-year-old Hector Hernandez of Coarsegold.

Agents were notified Sunday night about a large garden growing near Bosse's home on Arrowhead Trail in North Fork. Based on the information they received they believed the garden was ripe for harvest. Feeling if they didn't move quickly the plants would be gone by morning, they secured a warrant and served it Sunday.

Agents pulled out 9, 435 plants from the North Fork garden. Agents estimated the crop could have netted the growers more than $28 million.

Hernandez was taken into custody at Bosse's home. Bosse and Medina were taken into custody a short time later, after being pulled over by a sheriff's deputy, who reportedly found more than three pounds of processed marijuana in their car worth an estimated $9,000, along with some methamphetamine.

Shortly after the North Fork operation, agents moved on to Oakhurst where they found 6,464 plants growing near Madera's popular Miami Motorcycle Trails, off State Route 41 just above Oakhurst. The garden had reportedly been spotted during a routine marijuana investigation.

Miami Motorcycle Trails is a popular off highway vehicle recreational area in the Central Valley.

"This is one of the few places that caters to dirt bike enthusiasts, where riders of all ages come to enjoy more than 60 square miles of dirt bike trails," said Sheriff John Anderson.

"When you realize the proximity of this marijuana garden, just how close it was found growing near a popular family destination point, it is very disturbing," he said.

Had this cash crop made it to the streets agents said it could have yielded more than $19 million. No arrests were made in the second eradication.

As for the three arrests made in North Fork Peggy Bosse and Hector Hernandez, who also goes by the names Kokomys Hernandez and Nokomys Hernandez remain in jail with bail set at $500,000 each. Heather Medina, who also goes by the name Heather Bunnell, posted $50,000 early Monday morning. She is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 6.


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