Four legged friends (and enemies): California: K9 Johnny stabbed in the neck with 10-inch knife; illegal alien Clemente Lopez, 31, indicted on federal drug charges

Sunday, August 7, 2016

California: K9 Johnny stabbed in the neck with 10-inch knife; illegal alien Clemente Lopez, 31, indicted on federal drug charges

CALIFORNIA -- A federal grand jury returned two separate indictments Thursday, charging marijuana cultivation in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Lassen National Forest.

According to court documents, the first case involved Clemente Lopez, 31, a Mexican national, who was arrested by law enforcement on July 26, 2016, during a search of marijuana growing sites in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, near the town of Wildwood.

The second case involved Jose Madrigal, 67, and Cesar Mendoza-Madrigal, 44, who were arrested in Lassen National Forest at their marijuana grow site, near Judd Creek.

In the first case, Lopez was growing 9,800 marijuana plants, and during the arrest another suspect fled the scene after they stabbed a Trinity County Sheriff's K-9 in the neck with a 10-inch knife. The K-9, named Johnny, somehow managed to survive this brutal attack.

This K9 dog which was stabbed shows just how dangerous it is in these national forests. If these people will stab and try to kill a dog, what do you think they will do to a forest ranger or a lost hiker who stumbles onto their marijuana grow site?

We're not talking some hippie camping in the woods with a couple plants. We're talking cartels growing THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of plants worth millions of dollars. They will guard them with their lives and think nothing of killing someone over them.

In the second case, Madrigal and Mendoza-Madrigal had about 6,900 marijuana plants. In addition to the cultivation charges, both defendants were charged with committing depredation of federal land and resources.

According to officials, if convicted, Lopez faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $1 million fine for each count. Madrigal and Mendoza-Madrigal face a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $500,00 for cultivation and up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the depredation of public lands and resources.

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.