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COURTS DEA seeks to seize houses in multistate pot trafficking operation Agents say houses purchased with proceeds of marijuana sales Comment By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 25, 2015 at 2:03 PM Updated Feb 25, 2015 at 5:02 PM By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 25, 2015 at 2:03 PM Updated Feb 25, 2015 at 5:02 PM » Social News The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration hopes to seize more than half a million dollars in real estate from what agents describe as a highly profitable, interstate marijuana-trafficking operation with roots in Southern Oregon and Northern California. The forfeiture claim, filed in the U.S. District Court in Medford Friday by agents from the DEA's resident office, alleges two houses in McKinleyville and Salyer, Calif., were being used as grow sites by Humboldt County resident Jonathan Quaccia and Southern Oregon native Matthew Correa, and that the properties were bought with drug money. The McKinleyville property last sold in 2011 for $330,000 and the Salyer home in 2013 for $195,000. According to the affidavit, the DEA opened an investigation into the alleged drug-trafficking operation in early 2014 after agents became aware of suspicious transactions in bank accounts held by a number of area residents. A DEA financial investigator determined that $2,005,946 in deposits had been made to accounts at Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase by individuals in New York and California. The affidavit says all the cash deposits were in amounts under $10,000, for which banks do not require picture identification. Investigators were able to trace $1.9 million in withdrawals to five account holders, one of whom was Correa, the affidavit claims. On Jan. 7, agents served search warrants at the two California homes, as well as a home in the 200 block of South Rose Street in Phoenix. According to the affidavit, agents seized about 850 marijuana plants and 57 pounds of dried marijuana; 139 of the plants were seized at the Phoenix address, along with a handgun. Agents also seized Quaccia's Toyota pickup in McKinleyville, which they claim was purchased with drug proceeds. Investigators say the Phoenix property, which isn't being sought in the forfeiture claim, belongs to Correa's mother.  During questioning five days later, Correa allegedly told Medford DEA agents that he and Quaccia had been growing marijuana and shipping it to customers in New York and Georgia via the U.S. Postal Service. Correa's self-described role in the operation was to persuade family and friends to open bank accounts in their names to receive deposits by the group's East Coast clientele. Deposits made to those accounts allegedly would be withdrawn in cash and given to Correa, who would deliver the funds to Quaccia in California, according to the affidavit. Correa also allegedly told investigators that he had purchased the Salyer property at Quaccia's request specifically for use as a grow site, but had never been there himself. The affidavit alleges Quaccia later confirmed the business arrangement to investigators, admitting that he had purchased the McKinleyville home and made a down payment on the Salyer property using proceeds from their marijuana business. Criminal charges have not been filed against either man in state or federal court. Court filings say the investigation is ongoing. Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at [email protected] . Follow him at @ThomasDMoriarty . By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 25, 2015 at 2:03 PM Updated Feb 25, 2015 at 5:02 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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