Stolen Light Tower Leads To 2,500 Marijuana Plants In Winchester

WINCHESTER, CA — An investigation into a stolen light tower led to the discovery of an illegal marijuana grow in Winchester, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced.

Deputies were called out to the 30900 block of Epiplaneia Way in Winchester on Tuesday around 11:54 a.m. regarding the pilfered tower. The owner of the equipment had spotted it and alerted deputies to the location, the sheriff's department reported.

Once at the site, deputies discovered the light tower was powering electricity to a marijuana grow with over 2,500 plants.

The following Winchester residents were cited on suspicion of possession of stolen property and illegal marijuana cultivation; they have been released out of custody, according to the sheriff's department.

• Fernando Orozco Salgado, 31
• Lionel Orozco, 27
• Ranferi Barreto, 29
• Saul Barreto Orozco, 22