Man Accused of Operating Murrieta Indoor Cannabis Farm Faces Judge

Murrieta, CA— A Murrieta man accused of operating an indoor marijuana grow populated with hundreds of plants pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony charges.

Dwight Damien Nguyen, 55, was arrested in April following a Murrieta police investigation that uncovered the illegal cultivation site in the 39000 block of Brighton Street.

Nguyen was arraigned on cultivation of marijuana for sale and grand theft charges before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Mandio, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for July 12 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

The defendant remains free on a $100,000 bond.

Officers raided Nguyen's residence on the morning of April 13 after serving a search warrant at the property.

Murrieta police Sgt. Mark Reid said more than 1,400 cannabis plants "in various stages of growth" were seized at the location.

Reid alleged that Nguyen had re-configured electrical circuits to bypass meters and enable him to siphon enough power to keep dozens of sun lights running 24 hours a day for the benefit of the grow.

The estimated amount of electricity stolen was not known.

According to court records, Nguyen has traffic-related cases going back to 2007, but no misdemeanor or felony convictions.

— By City News Service.  Image via Shutterstock.