Man ordered to pay more than $2 million for illegal marijuana operation near Woodland

The Yolo County judge ordered an Antioch man to pay $2.8 million Friday after growing hundreds of marijuana plants on his property without a license.

Daniel Lopez, 28, of Antioch planted and grew approximately 600 plants near Woodland despite knowing that a license was required by law, according to a news release issued by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office.

Lopez’s products were not tracked to avoid black market sales, his plants were not tested for harmful pesticides, and his property was not inspected to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, according to the release.

The District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint against Lopez in December 2017. During the process, Lopez ignored several court orders and stalled progress, according to the release.

Superior Court Judge Kent O’Mara issued a default judgment against Lopez after several sanctions. He was ordered to pay $2,808,000 in penalties, according to the release.

“Yolo County law is clear that commercial cannabis cultivation is prohibited unless the cultivator holds a County license,” District Attorney Jeff Reisig said in the release. “This judgment sends a strong message that these rules serve a purpose, one of which is to protect the environment.”

This story was originally published December 21, 2018 at 11:27 AM.