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Raids mow down marijuana gardens Four arrested in two-county operation By Alberto Enriquez Four Rogue Valley residents with no record of prior convictions appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Medford on drug charges that could lead to mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years to life. The four were arrested Tuesday in a joint operation by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and the Jackson County Narcotic Enforcement Team (JACNET), which resulted in the seizure of nearly 1,000 marijuana plants and other contraband at three sites in Ashland and Josephine County. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Cooney accepted the prosecution's request to hold Steve G. Huggins, 44, because there remained some question about his identity. Cooney agreed only reluctantly to release Rhonda Taylor, 44, Dahcota Whip Hagen, 28, and Vicki Jensen, 46, without bail, citing concerns about the seriousness of the charges and the trio's apparent lack of any close or longstanding ties to the community. Huggins, Taylor, Hagen and Jensen face federal charges of conspiracy and manufacturing a controlled substance. All four are to appear Dec. 2 at the U.S. Court in Eugene for a preliminary hearing. U.S. attorney Bob Thomson said because of the amount of marijuana involved, those charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life. "There is a federal `safety valve' for those who have no priors, whose crimes did not involve guns, and who give full information," Thomson said. "They can get some relief, in terms of a reduction in sentence." An affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint said DEA agents executed a federal search warrant at 199 Mowetza Drive in Ashland and arrested Huggins as he was walking away from a barn. Inside was an active growing operation, including 474 marijuana plants. Taylor was arrested inside a residence on the property. A small amount of marijuana and $7,000 currency was seized from Taylor's and Huggins' bedroom, along with a quarter-pound of marijuana from the kitchen. Taylor told agents that she and Huggins grew marijuana for "self healing processes," and as an analgesic for an animal first-aid kit. She also reportedly said they intended to use the profits to develop a wellness retreat. Documents at the home indicated that Huggins and Taylor were making mortgage payments at 16000 N. Applegate Road, Grants Pass. Agents also found, in Huggins' Dodge Durango, an electric power receipt in the name of "Whip Hagen" for the Applegate Road property. Based on those documents and phone records, JACNET served a warrant at 16000 N. Applegate Road, seizing another indoor growing operation of 142 marijuana plants, and arresting Hagen. Based on a document found at the Mowetza Drive address, and on power consumption records, JACNET also served a warrant at 15333 Highway 238, Grants Pass, seizing 345 marijuana plants in a garage, and arresting Jensen. Jensen told agents that a propane tank seized from her Cadillac was used for a propane heater to heat the garage. In the garage, agents found not a heater, but a propane-fed carbon dioxide generator to stimulate plant growth. A key seized from Huggins earlier in the day fit a lock of the Highway 238 growing room. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA