POTTER VALLEY >> A Lakeport man was one of two suspects arrested in Mendocino County for manufacturing a controlled substance.
The men connected to the crime are Joseph John Scorese, 30, of Lakeport and Joseph Dean Loren, 36, of Willits.
Authorities seized several pounds of cannabis after serving a search warrant at a property turned laboratory. According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotic Unit, the men converted an entire residence, located in the 66010 block of Highway 20 in Potter Valley, into an “industrial Butane Hash (marijuana) Oil extraction laboratory capable of producing commercial high volume concentrated cannabis.”
Authorities say multiple rooms were used to house a sophisticated, explosive closed-loop butane/propane chemical extraction system.
The search was conducted by deputies, with the assistance of the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team (COMMET) and Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force (MMCTF) on Tuesday, March 20.
At the residence, detectives found and seized 48.3 pounds of concentrated cannabis worth $768,000 and 1,150 pounds of marijuana used in the extraction process. Evidence showed the suspects allegedly sold more than $100,000 of the illicit substance.
A marijuana alcohol extraction lab and five large cylinders, totaling hundreds of pounds of the explosive chemicals in the living room for hash oil production, was also found.
Additionally, a 2017 Jeep Rubicon and $5,700 of cash were seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
Laboratory equipment is estimated to have a value of over $250,000, which was also seized as evidence.
Both Scorese and Loren were booked in the Mendocino County Jail in Ukiah, each with bail set at $50,000.
