MARIJUANA CROP DEFENDANT SKIPS OUT ON HIS HEARING

Warrant Issued For No-show Charged With Cultivating Pot Worth Millions

One of two men charged with cultivating a marijuana crop worth an estimated
$36.8 million failed to show up for a court hearing Wednesday.

Sometime after his arrest last month, Francisco Garcia, 44, of Santa Maria,
was released from the County Jail after posting bail. He was scheduled to
appear for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Garcia's attorney, Fred Foss, said he has no idea where his client might be.

"All I know is that he didn't show up," Foss said.

Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera issued a warrant for Garcia's arrest.
Meanwhile, local law enforcement agencies will be on the lookout for
Garcia, who originally hails from Mexico.

Garcia was arrested Aug. 23, and his bail was set at $10,000. The Sheriff's
Department does not give out release dates for inmates who post bail.

Garcia and Octavio Mendoza, 52, of Mexico were both suspected of growing
the crop — the largest ever found in San Luis Obispo County — in rural Los
Osos. Sheriff's investigators confiscated more than 9,000 plants from the
site, near Clarke Valley Road, last month.

Both Garcia and Mendoza were charged with cultivation of marijuana and
possession of marijuana. Mendoza also was charged with assault on an
officer with a firearm, and Garcia was charged with obliterating the
identification of a firearm. Both men also face charges for allegedly
having stolen weapons in their possession.

According to court records, Mendoza admitted to growing some marijuana, but
Garcia denied having anything to do with the crop, saying he made a living
picking beans for his brother in Santa Maria. But investigators said
footprints matching Garcia's shoes were found at the marijuana crop.

Garcia, who said he earned $5 an hour, had $1,400 in his possession when he
was discovered near the crop, according to his court file. He said the
money had been sent to him from Mexico.

Garcia also allegedly told investigators he carried a shotgun to ward off
snakes and birds.

While police will be on the lookout for Garcia, Mendoza is scheduled to
appear in court for a preliminary hearing today.

Sheriff's deputies discovered the marijuana crop roughly a year after they
found more than 7,000 marijuana plants, worth an estimated $21.7 million,
just a few hundred yards away. No one was ever arrested in that case.