Trio Allegedly Tie Up, Beat Former Head Marijuana Grower

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Three employees of a Santa Rosa-area marijuana farm are behind bars after they allegedly duct-taped a former co-worker to a chair, beat him up and tried to kill him, a Sonoma County Sheriff's official said. At about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to a phone call from Moises Calvillo-Chavez — who later turned out to be one of three suspects — that the former head grower for the weed farm in the 6500 block of St. Helena Road "was going crazy," sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said in a news release.

Calvillo-Chavez reportedly told authorities the former head cannabis grower had been tied up to a chair but that he'd let him go.

Deputies responded and found the victim, a 43-year-old Santa Rosa man, walking barefoot on a road near the farm. The arm of a broken wooden chair was duct-taped to the man's arm and there were abrasions on his arms and ankles from what appeared to be duct tape, Crum said.

He told deputies he'd recently been replaced by Calvillo-Chavez as the head grower for the farm.

Deputies learned that over the past week, the victim and Calvillo-Chavez, 34, of El Cajon, in San Diego County, had ongoing disagreements as the victim taught his replacement the business, Crum said.

Because of the disagreements, the victim moved off the property and was staying at a neighbor's home, the sergeant said.

Deputies determined that at about 2 a.m. Sunday, the victim and Calvilo-Chavez argued on the phone, exchanging verbal threats.

Authorities allege Calvillo-Chavez then showed up in a truck with two of his friends — identified as Chad Michael Canup, 32, of Garberville in Humboldt County and Salvador Martinez, 22, of Lakeside in San Diego County.

It is alleged that Calvilllo-Chavez had a .22-caliber rifle with him and that as he got out of the truck, he pointed the gun at the victim and tried to shoot him several times. When the rifle malfunctioned, Calvillo-Chavez reportedly hit the victim on the head with the stock of the gun — knocking the victim to the ground.

"When the victim fell to the ground, all three suspects repeatedly hit and kicked him in the head," Crum said. "They tied up the victim’s hands and ankles with a thin rope and threw him in the victim’s truck and drove to the main house on the property where they duct-taped him to a chair and held him for several hours as they interrogated him."

When the suspects left the victim alone, he was able to "break the chair and escape, running barefoot out of the house and to the street," Crum said.

Paramedics responded and treated the victim at the scene for a contusion to the back of his head.

The victim's injuries did not require hospitalization, the sergeant said.

Deputies located Calvillo-Chavez, Canup and Martinez near a home on the property and detained the trio, reportedly without incident.

Detectives responded to the scene and found a broken chair, duct tape, an ax and a .22-caliber rifle — all consistent with the victim’s statement, Crum said.

Calvillo-Chavez, Canup and Martinez were all booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping, burglary, conspiracy, false imprisonment and vehicle theft.

Monday, they were still in custody in lieu of $1.2 million each pending court appearances scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Crum said the cultivators of the marijuana grow have filed for a county permit, and that any violations will be handled through Permit Sonoma.

Jail booking photos (left to right) of Calvillo-Chavez, Canup an Martinez courtesy Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.