Grand Jury indicts four men at forefront of marijuana grows linked to El Dorado County deputy's killing

As soon as word spread that El Dorado County Deputy Brian Ishmael was shot and killed in the line of duty on October 23, multiple federal agencies were mobilized and went to work to not only find out who was directly responsible for the death, but also to uncover those in charge of the illegal marijuana grows at the forefront of the case.

On Thursday, four men were indicted on charges stemming from illegal marijuana cultivation on private land that resulted in the death of a law enforcement officer. A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging them with marijuana cultivation and firearms offenses in El Dorado County, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced during a passionate press conference in Sacramento.

Christopher Garry Ross, 47, of Somerset; Juan Carlos Vasquez, 20, a Mexican national residing in Somerset; Ramiro Bravo Morales, 22, a Mexican national residing in Somerset; and Jorge Lamas, 25, of Yuba City, were charged with conspiring to cultivate marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. In addition, Vasquez and Morales were each charged with being an "illegal alien in possession of a firearm," said Scott.

Besides those federal charges, there are state charges against three of the suspects at this time. Ross was arrested for involuntary manslaughter, Vasquez was charged with charges of murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and Morales was booked on charges of aiding in the commission of a felony.

The state charges have not changed and Ross, Vasquez, and Morales will be in an El Dorado County courtroom on December 17 for a status conference in Placerville.

Lamas is believed to be the foreman of marijuana gardens in Somerset where the deputy's murder occurred as well as in Georgetown. People planted in the fields to watch over the grows report to Lamas who reports to someone in Mexico, according to El Dorado County Deputy D.A. Joe Alexander.

El Dorado County Sheriff John D’Agostini and El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson joined Scott at the press conference along with people from other agencies including Homeland Security and the FBI.

According to Scott, Ross occupied a piece of property owned by his parents in Somerset where he allowed marijuana to be grown and cultivated illegally in return for cash. Vasquez and Morales lived in the grow and were tasked with tending to the grow, and guarding it.

Marijuana grows such as those in El Dorado County are illegal under both federal and state laws. Since the legalization of marijuana in California, Scott said Mexican criminal organizations are now approaching property owners and offering them cash for being allowed to grow on their property. One million illegal pot plants have been eradicated by local, federal and state officials so far this year in California from gardens just like the ones maintained by Lamas.

"The black market in this state is alive, well and thriving," said Scott during Thursday's press conference.

At the time of their arrest, there was confusion over the legal status of Morales and Vasquez. Scott said both have now been confirmed as being citizens of Mexico. He said he is describing them as "illegal aliens," the proper term under federal law even though not politically correct according to Scott.

At Deputy Ishmael's funeral on Tuesday in Roseville, Scott said he gave a letter from State Attorney General Xavier Becerra to Ishamel's widow, one that said, "they will all do whatever is necessary to make sure justice is done in this case."

"We are committed to working as hard as we can to reach that result," said Scott.

D.A. Pierson said he has seen nothing but professionalism and transparency with all levels of collaboration in working on this case.

Sheriff D’Agostini held nothing back in his portion of the press conference as he said: "noticeably absent from my deputy's funeral on Tuesday was our governor."

"Respect my deputy and his family, that isn't too much to ask," said the Sheriff to Gov. Newsom. "You are dismissed from this conversation." The sheriff was referring to a recent Twitter conversation between the governor and the president.

"Call this what this is. This tragedy was due to an illegal alien tending an illegal marijuana garden who murdered my deputy, that's what it is," said D'Agostini.

He asked for the state legislature to reach out to law enforcement for guidance when they create laws and regulations and make it easier for them to clean out the illegal marijuana grows and those operating them.

"What happened to my deputy was predictable," said the sheriff.

The black market marijuana business in the state is a thriving one.

Thriving because according to Scott:

- One million illegal pot plants have been extricated from illegal grows in California so far this year
- 80 person of marijuana grown in the state, leaves the state
- USPS spends a lot of time intercepting pot going out, and the cash coming in through the mail

There is collateral violence connected with the vast number of illegal grows in the state, officials said Thursday.

DA Pierson said marijuana is not a victimless crime because of the illegal grows. He said the cash-rich business draws a violent element, one that has resulted in deaths in the county. Grows are moving from the remote forests to neighborhoods, just as in the case of Somerset and Deputy Ishmael's killing, according to Alexander.

The statutory penalty for the marijuana counts is a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence up to 40 years in prison with fines up to $5 million. The discharge of a firearm during a drug crime is a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The "alien" in possession of a firearm count is a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the California Department of Justice. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office have provided key assistance, said DOJ in a press release. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael M. Beckwith, Justin L. Lee, and Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case.