LOGGER, THREE OTHERS CHARGED IN METHAMPHETAMINE CASE

A prominent timberland owner who has drawn controversy in Santa Clara and
Santa Cruz counties for his logging practices was charged Friday with
manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony that carries penalties of up to 17
years in prison.

Greg Koppala, 49, of Corralitos, was arrested Monday along with two San
Jose men and his stepson by the Santa Cruz County Narcotic Enforcement Team
at a remote wooded property he owns on Rider Road, five miles north of
Aptos.

Deputies responding to an anonymous tip traced land ownership records and
then arrived at Koppala's house at 600 Telford Road, roughly one mile from
the site, said Sgt. Bob Payne of the narcotics team.

Koppala agreed to drive with them to the property, Payne said.

When they arrived, police found a methamphetamine laboratory with
approximately 50 pounds of the drug. The wholesale value is $500,000, and
street value is more than $2 million, said Sgt. Bob Payne.

Koppala then confessed his involvement, according to authorities.

``Koppala admitted he had given the people permission to use his property
for the clandestine lab operation for $5,000,'' Payne said.

Because of toxic waste issues, police called the state Department of Toxic
Substance Control, which has supervised a hazardous cleanup.

``The evidence (indicates) that it had been there for a while,'' Payne
said. ``There were lot of empty containers and a lot of residues in a
pit.''

Koppala is a partner in Eel River Sawmills of Fortuna, in Humboldt County.
Sometime in the past several years he moved to the Santa Cruz County town
of Corralitos from Sonoma County and began buying property to log from
Redwood Estates to Ben Lomond. He drew criticism for trucking Santa Cruz
redwood logs to mills 250 miles north.

He currently owns an estimated 1,300 acres of redwood and Douglas fir
timberland throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Calls to Koppala's home went unanswered Friday.

Deputies found Koppala's stepson, Van Slagle, 19, of Corralitos, on the
property.

Slagle and two San Jose residents, Lionel Velex, 34, and Demetrio Torrez,
35, also were arrested on suspicion of manufacturing methamphetamines.

Jenai Goldsmith, 24, of Watsonville, drove up to the property during the
bust. After a search of her car turned up drugs, she was arrested on
suspicion of possession of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms for sale.