Antioch police bust $1.3 million Brentwood marijuana growing operation

BRENTWOOD — Narcotics officers arrested a Brentwood trio Wednesday morning on suspicion of operating a $1.3 million marijuana operation from an elaborate Stockton warehouse, police said.

After an investigation spanning several months, agents led simultaneous raids in Brentwood and Stockton about 9:30 a.m., confiscating more than 1,200 pot plants, a couple of dozen pounds of cultivated pot, more than $100,000 in growing equipment and a stolen gun, Antioch police Lt. Leonard Orman said. The grow's street value is estimated at $1.3 million, Orman said.

All three men were neighbors and distributed a significant amount of drugs to East County, Orman said.

The men turned a former auto repair warehouse in Stockton into a state-of-the-art, 12,000-square-foot marijuana garden, Orman said.

"They invested a significant amount of money into this place," Orman said, estimating $80,000 in repairs aimed at expanding the facility.

Police served search warrants at the Stockton warehouse and adjoining business, at 2354 and 2368 East Miner Ave., finding about 1,200 marijuana plants in various stages of maturity, along with about 25 pounds of drying pot ready for sale, Orman said. At that address, officers arrested Walter Wynne, 46, on suspicion of marijuana cultivation, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of stolen property.

They also served warrants at Wynne's Brentwood house on the 500 block of Mendota Street, where

investigators found 15 mature marijuana plants and a stolen gun, Orman said. Near Wynne's house, agents served a search warrant on the 400 block of Elberta Court, where they found a small amount of pot and grow equipment.

The two residents, brothers Justin and Brandon Reis, 30 and 21, respectively, were home at the time, and both fled out the back door when agents served the warrant. Brandon Reis was quickly apprehended, but his brother, wearing only flip-flops and underwear, eluded officers for about an hour before he was found hiding behind a garbage can in a neighbor's yard, Orman said.

The Reis brothers were arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and resisting arrest, Orman said. Justin Reis and Wynne were released after each making $140,000 bail on Thursday morning, while Brandon Reis is still in custody at the West County jail in Richmond on $145,000 bail, a jail official said.

To operate the lighting and irrigation equipment at all three locations, the suspects are alleged to have stolen electricity, Orman said. PG&E is investigating how much. Authorities also confiscated several vehicles, watercraft and cash at all three locations, he said.

Antioch police led the drug investigation, with the assistance of the Contra Costa and San Joaquin Sheriff's offices and Stockton police, Orman said.

Reach Matthias Gafni at 925-779-7174 or mgafni@bayareanewsgroup.com.