Sea-View Home, but Lots of Weeds

In an ocean-view San Clemente neighborhood, firefighters responding to a smoldering garage Thursday morning discovered hundreds of marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $100,000 being nurtured in a sophisticated indoor farm.

“It appeared to be just a regular home, a family residence in a nice family neighborhood with a boat parked in the driveway and an SUV in the garage,” said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. “Just when you think you’ve heard everything....”

At 9:20 a.m., firefighters were called to the 300 block of Calle Empalme after a resident saw smoke coming from a garage amid a power outage in the neighborhood.

Firefighters encountered two pit bulls and had to force their way into the rear entrance of the house.

Once inside, they found 300 marijuana plants about three months from harvest, an irrigation system, heat lamps and fertilizer.

“What we did not find in the home is even more interesting,” Amormino said. “No furniture. All marijuana plants.”

The house had all the exterior trappings of normal family life, and neighbors told deputies that they occasionally saw a family at the house, including two children playing in the yard. Now, they realize that the adults were tending the plants and deputies believe they were using the children as cover.

“Neighbors said they were pretty standoffish, didn’t really want to have a conversation,” Amormino said. “I think now we know why -- they definitely weren’t going to have them over for dinner.”

The suspect leased the house in an expensive neighborhood near San Clemente High School, Amormino said.

“I’m sure the lease is not cheap,” Amormino said. “On the other hand, he had a pretty big operation. I’m sure he had ample money to pay the rent.”

But he apparently didn’t want to pay the electric bill. The fire was started because the marijuana farmer was stealing electricity from power lines, Amormino said. The spliced wires caused the power outage and also caused an electrical box in the garage to smolder, he said.

Deputies have identified the suspect, but did not release his name. Animal control officers took custody of the pit bulls.