POLICE SEIZE MARIJUANA IN MANTECA

MANTECA -- A well-known businessman was arrested Monday after police said
they found a large marijuana-growing operation in his home and seized
$326,000 in pot.

David Allan Willson, 38, of Manteca faces felony charges of cultivating
marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale. He is out on bail, and his
arraignment is scheduled later this week in San Joaquin County Superior
Court in Manteca.

Willson owns and operates Willson Paving in Manteca. He and his wife, Lisa
Marie "Sam" Willson, also own Sam's Body Works, a fitness gym on North Main
Street. She has not been charged.

"Her case is being referred to the district attorney's office," said Rex
Osborn, Police Department spokesman. "(David Willson is) accepting all the
responsibility for the (seized) property, but the district attorney will
see if that's logical."

Police obtained a warrant to search the couple's Tinnin Road home, off
Woodward Avenue, after someone gave an anonymous tip to officer Scott
Bratton, according to Osborn.

Narcotics officers went to the home at about 1 p.m. Monday and found an
elaborate greenhouse in the two-car garage.

Officers said they seized 150 marijuana plants, ranging from
ready-to-harvest bushes to seedlings. Each plant was capable of producing
$2,000 in pot, police said.

Inside the home, officers said they found 13 quarter-pound bags of
processed marijuana worth an estimated $2,000 apiece. They also seized
$3,000 in cash and 10 firearms, including pistols, rifles and shotguns.

Manteca authorities called it the city's largest marijuana seizure in at
least 15 years.

Police officers found Lisa Marie Willson at home and said she cooperated
with the search. Officers called David Willson on his cellular telephone
and summoned him to the house, where he was taken into custody without
incident.

The couple have two daughters, 15 and 16, and a 19-year-old son, all living
at home.

Willson said he was growing the plants for medicinal purposes, adding, "I
made $1.5 million last year, why do I need to sell pot?"

Detectives will investigate whether the couple might have been financing
their businesses with the alleged drug proceeds.

"They are very successful businesses," Osborn said of the construction
operation and the gym. "If you have that much marijuana you can sell, the
potential is you financed your businesses with it. As of right now, we
don't have anything to say it's connected."