ARRESTS IN 3-COUNTY POT-GROWING CASE

Authorities have arrested three suspects on drug charges and seized $4.5
million worth of marijuana in three separate raids in the past two weeks in
Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties.

But two other suspected commercial pot growers thought to be involved
remain at large, detectives said Monday. In all, agents collected 2,430
plants, including 150 from a Santa Rosa home on Erland Drive.

"You combine it together, total plant count in all three counties, and the
number is significant," said Jeffrey Markham of the Lake County Sheriff's
Department. "What really makes it significant is the fact that they were
indoors."

All the marijuana found was carefully cultivated in hidden, greenhouse-like
environments. Detectives uncovered 221 plants on Nov. 12 at a Morgan Valley
Road home in Lower Lake.

The property owners - Yvan Baumberger and Dominique Baumberger, both 45 -
were not home at the time and have yet to be located.

At the location, detectives say they also found child pornography in the
form of pictures kept on computers and computer disks. The Baumbergers each
face charges of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale,
being armed while committing a felony, unauthorized power diversion,
injuring electric lines and possession of child pornography.

That raid in turn led investigators to two others. On Thursday, authorities
searched the Erland Drive home and found one pound of marijuana buds in
addition to the 150 plants, and arrested Susan Estes, 32, and Xavier
DeCoster, 50, on charges of cultivation of marijuana, possession of
marijuana and being armed while committing a felony. The two have since
posted bail.

Later Thursday, investigators visited a remote area of Mendocino County's
Potter Valley owned by DeCoster and found a "highly sophisticated"
pot-growing operation fueled by a hidden generator and disguised as a goat
farm, Markham said.

Detectives seized 2,059 marijuana plants and a handgun and arrested Tibetan
national Sonam Tsering Lama, age unknown, on charges of cultivation of
marijuana, possession of marijuana and being armed while committing a
felony. Lama as taken to Mendocino County Jail. On Monday, he was still in
jail with bail is set at $10,000.