-from mercurynews.com-

By Karl Fischer

Bay Area: 605 plants worth $500,000 seized one man arrested, two men sought

State and local authorities finished a three-month investigation by confiscating more than $500,000 worth of marijuana plants at three addresses in Contra Costa and Solano counties.

The investigation, led by the Contra Costa County Narcotics Enforcement Team, led to the arrest of Juan Valdivia, 28, on Wednesday at his job at Buchanan Field in Concord, team Cmdr. Norm Wielsch said.

Authorities are seeking Antioch resident Kevin Lum, 31, and Byron resident Brian Otis, 35, in connection with the case.

A tip put agents on to a grow operation in Antioch a few months ago, Wielsch said. The investigation culminated in six search warrants starting about 9 a.m. Wednesday in Antioch, Richmond, Vallejo and Byron.

Agents found 605 plants and 2 pounds of prepared marijuana at grow operations inside houses in the 2700 block of Shane Drive in Richmond and the 2300 block of Field Street in Antioch, as well as in the upstairs apartment of a light-industrial building in the 300 block of Lemon Street in Vallejo.

Authorities found growing equipment but no plants at a house in the 3200 block of Barton Lane in Antioch and searched a second house on the same block and a house in the 2500 block of Hoffman Lane in Byron.

At each address where marijuana grew, the cultivators stole electricity by bypassing the Pacific Gas & Electric meters, Wielsch said.

Valdivia was booked into County Jail in Martinez on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, possessing marijuana for sale, stealing power and conspiracy to distribute marijuana