Three arrested as sheriff finds 322-plant greenhouse in Palermo
Butte County sheriff's detectives and patrol deputies arrested three people at a Martha Lane residence in Palermo on 18 June 2025 after an aerial flyover spotted a large greenhouse holding about 322 live marijuana plants. A 7-year-old child found living in a trailer next to the grow was placed in the county's children's services custody.
🇺🇸 7000 block of Martha Lane, Palermo, Butte County, California · California, United States
Butte County Sheriff’s Office detectives and patrol deputies executed a search
warrant at a residence in the 7000 block of Martha Lane in Palermo on 18 June
2025.[1]The search followed an aerial surveillance flyover by a sheriff’s
detective who documented a large greenhouse containing live, growing marijuana
plants.[1]
Detectives found approximately 322 live marijuana plants in a large greenhouse
at the back of the property.[1]Three people were arrested on the property:
Wilfred St. Louis, 54, Marlon Shortridge, 44, and William St. Louis, 18.[1]Wilfred St. Louis was arrested on a felony charge of maintaining a place for the
purpose of selling a controlled substance and of being a prohibited person in
possession of ammunition.[1]William St. Louis was arrested for being a
prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.[1]Marlon
Shortridge was arrested for felony child endangerment.[1]
Detectives found a 7-year-old child living in deplorable conditions in a trailer
next to the grow site.[1]The child was placed in the custody of the Butte
County Children’s Services Division.[1]The sheriff’s office said the
investigation was ongoing and asked anyone with information to contact its
Felony Investigations Unit.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Arrested
3
Charged
3
Plants destroyed
322
Sites
1
Agency
Butte County Sheriff's Office
Agency type
Police
Cannabis
Living plants (322 plants)
Activity
Cultivation, Possession, Sale
Setting
Home
Grown
Greenhouse
Charges
maintaining a place for the purpose of selling a controlled substance; prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition; felony child endangerment
Case stage
Under investigation
Force
No force reported
Region
California
Sources
KRCRkrcrtv.comDetectives find illegal marijuana grow with 322 plants in Palermo
Open questions the AI reported
The report uses 322 plants as found at the property; the source gives the count as approximately 322 and does not say whether the plants were seized or destroyed.
No weight of processed marijuana, area of the greenhouse or estimated value was published.
The sheriff's office said the investigation was ongoing; no court appearance, plea or outcome was reported for the three men, and three arrests are counted as three people charged, in line with the released charges.
The nature of the child endangerment finding was described only as deplorable living conditions, and the child's later placement was not reported.
FOX40 and Action News Now carried the same sheriff's release, but both could not be opened in this session, so they are not cited.
CHP's warrant service team searched a home in the 400 block of Bear Canyon Road northwest of Garberville on 9 November 2026 as part of a multi-agency narcotics investigation involving the DEA, HSI and FBI. The CHP said it did not lead the probe and would not confirm the target, the material officers shovelled, or any arrests.
North Port police arrested Nicholas Eddy, 29, and Jessica Trach, 28, after their Special Investigations Unit searched a home on Narcissus Terrace and found marijuana packaged for sale along with cocaine, suspected LSD, steroids and pills. Both were accused of drug possession for sale, running a drug house and possessing drug paraphernalia.
Lexington town police and state and federal partners searched five vape and hemp shops on 5 November 2026 in an undercover investigation into sales of illicit narcotics and drug paraphernalia. A shop owner says officers emptied cases, seized her phone and more than $3,300 in cash, and she plans to sue; no arrests were reported.
Four agencies served simultaneous search warrants at two Quincy addresses on 5 November 2026 in a drug-trafficking investigation, and police announced probable cause to arrest two men, one of them on a cannabis sale allegation. No drug quantities were disclosed and police did not confirm either man was in custody.
