Massive LSD Bust In Santa Cruz, CA

[radiometer]

Large cache of LSD seized; four arrested
By Connie Skipitares
Mercury News
Article Launched: 12/04/2007 01:36:19 AM PST

Two Watsonville residents and a couple from Hawaii are in custody on drug charges after Drug Enforcement Administration agents found one of the largest caches of LSD in recent memory at a Watsonville home that had allegedly been converted into a drug lab.

Taken into custody were John Lagace, 35, and Tara Bergstrand, 25, of Watsonville, and David Behar, 33, and Lindsay Hogue, 30, of Hawaii. All four were arraigned Friday in federal court in San Jose and charged with possession with intent to sell LSD and conspiracy to possess the drug with intent to sell.

Agents seized about 20 grams of LSD - lysergic acid diethylamide - enough to make 200,000 doses. Also seized were five pounds of marijuana, three silver bars, nine gold coins and $13,000 in cash.

The estimated street value of the LSD is $2 million. Street value of the marijuana is about $17,500.

Behar and Hogue allegedly tried to sell five grams of LSD to undercover agents at a pre-arranged location in Santa Cruz, where the two were arrested without incident. The investigation connected them to a house on the 800 block of Smith Road in Watsonville, where the large cache was uncovered.

Agents began watching the home and zeroed in on Bergstrand and Lagace, whom they followed as they were leaving the house. The couple was stopped in their car and agents found records with "pay/owe" information and dollar amounts ranging from $2,500 to $11,200. Bergstrand had about $900on her and Lagace was found with $1,300. The two were also taken into custody without incident.

"LSD is a drug we have not seen for a while in the Bay Area, however, this sizable seizure proves there still is a market for the substance," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Pena. "This alarming amount, for instance, could provide every citizen of Watsonville with four doses each."

In addition to agents from the DEA office in San Jose, the Santa Cruz County Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office also took part in the investigation and arrests.

http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci...nclick_check=1

Reputation Comments on this post:

Ick... well thanks for sharing.

[raven3davis]

Best of luck to them. I always hate to hear of lsd busts.

[fnord]

silver bars? smart idea.

[radiometer]

I can't help but wonder if this investigation was partly a result of the recent bust of the "Llama Family." It's hard to imagine there was no connection between such large distributors, so close together geographically.

I also wonder if these people will be charged as terrorists, like the Llama Family members are? A close friend from that family tells me he may be going away for life due to the "terrorist" angle.

And what's up with this "alleged drug lab?" Perhaps the sheet-laying operation?

[raven3davis]

Do you have more information about the "Llama bust?"

[radiometer]

Originally Posted by raven3davis

Do you have more information about the "Llama bust?"

http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/...ews/news01.txt

One of the two arrestees in this story was a very well-regarded D-F member.

[Alekseev]

They're looking at something like 10-Life on each count! It seems they aren't even being charged with the pot If convicted on both counts, they are looking at a mandatory 20 years! There are murderers who do a third of that time! They'll probably plead guilty to one count of poss w/i and get somewhere between 10-20 years. That is generally how these cases work. The male will get more time than his female accomplice of course...

[Bajeda]

I always love when they give estimated street value for confiscated marijuana. Its even funnier sometimes when they don't account for quality.

"LSD is a drug we have not seen for a while in the Bay Area, however, this sizable seizure proves there still is a market for the substance,"

They need proof? Its rather easy to find out if there is a market, just look around. Are people breathing? If answer is yes then there is a market.

[Bikelbees]

These cases need a new approach. Who can FIND this liberty we need?

[raven3davis]

SWIM is a strong advocate for the legalization of LSD and many other drugs, but especially LSD. Its ironic how how people who push LSD are penalized much more heavily that lots of folks peddling meth, coke, heroin ....etc. SWIM thinks the white powdered drugs cause a hell of a lot more health problems and problems to society in general. LSD absolutely has no addiction potential and physically, it is one of the safest drugs you can take.

SWIM believes that everyone on this planet should have the right to, and should strongly consider taking lsd. No reason to punish people for thinking. SWIM just finds it sickening that some of the most peaceful people are jailed for decades because of LSD when some violent dealers are let loose after less than a year or they don't even serve time in prison. What is this, institutional racism against hippies? This system needs drastic change.

[Lethargy]

Just... sad. Usually I read about drug busts and shrug them off due to the fact that demand will cause a new supply sooner or later but LSD busts really depress me.

Still, I know that the demand will never go away, so maybe later rather than sooner but eventually someone will set up shop again.

Why does the government have such a problem with LSD?

[x cynic x]

The reputation of LSD, known to severely alter reality, is unacceptable to our intolerant politicians. Their morals strictly demands them to believe that drugs are for the sole purpose of escaping reality, rather than appreciating it. For this purpose, they never try it to enjoy it. Or atleast this is what Swim thinks.

[trptamene]

Cause it goes against their goals of mass brain-washing.

[Hyperspaceblastoff]

"Agents seized about 20 grams of LSD - lysergic acid diethylamide"

and by that they mean like 1 gram of LSD and 19 grams of medium it was in
thats how they do the caculations alright
they weight in the blotters, candy, solution, w.e it is in gets weighed in then pushed on them 4 heavier sentences

[mentastic]

x cynic x... I partially agree but think maybe you are giving politicians too much credit for having "morality". They just want to be seen making a stand against "evil" drugs... I don't think most of them really care. They want to get the most amount of votes for the least amount of work, regardless of what position it requires them to take, and regardless of whether they even understand that position.

[juanathan]

(from the Llama article):

"It's a counterculture with a lot of drumming and dancing," Sanger said. "They're usually in the country and will be referred to as family reunions."

It's such a gross miscarraige of justice because they aren't doing anything but tripping out in the countryside. They aren't driving, they aren't robbing people, they aren't even in sight of other people.

[zera]

I can just imagine the paramilitary SWAT teams they used for the arrest, probably orchestrating something on par with the operation in Somalia to grab some people so stoned they couldn't even raise their left hand, good job brave soldiers for America!

Anyway I'm really glad the government will end up spending millions of taxpayer dollars to investigate, try and incarcerate some hippies in the desert. They've obviously really have their priorities straight, near my campus in the past few months there have been several rapes, multiple shootings (one of a police officer), and over a dozen people taken hostage and mugged. Glad law enforcement has its priorities straight. Don't let violent criminals distract you from the real threat to this country, people listening to Pink Floyd and wearing tye-died t-shirts.

Reputation Comments on this post:

good post

[Pinkavvy]

There are good posts being added to the llama bust news article all the time. The investigation was ongoing at many gatherings all over the nation for over a year. Of course nobody can tell what the conection of these two busts are, outside the similararities in quantities. There is a good article written in defense of the Family culture that is being attacked released by the Llama Family.

Reputation Comments on this post:

keep up the good fight, man

[dancingbear]

Any news on how their charges are / have been? Any verdicts?