Regional law enforcement leaders said Thursday that they have shut down nearly all unlicensed dispensaries in eastern San Diego County, where the problem was concentrated over several years.
Gone are the days when there were dozens of illegal marijuana dispensaries in East County, as many as 30 in 2019, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said during a news conference.
In recent years, several cities have allowed regulated, legal cannabis shops to open, in accordance with Proposition 64 which voters approved in 2016. In January of last year, the Board of Supervisors voted to follow suit in unincorporated areas of the county.
But for years communities across the region, especially in South and East County, grappled with illegal marijuana dispensaries, many of which would reopen in new locations shortly after the originals were shut down. In some areas, authorities said, the illegal dispensaries were the sites of various violent crimes, such as robberies and shootings.
Stephan said the county took a collaborative approach in 2019 that brought together law enforcement, prosecution and code compliance experts to shut down dispensaries and go after the owners and managers. Chula Vista — a city where many illegal dispensaries were concentrated — used the same strategy and closed down all illegal marijuana shops within its city limits in 2020.
“Shutting down unregulated illegal marijuana dispensaries required a new level of innovation and collaboration rather than playing a game of whack-a-mole, with dispensaries being shut down one day but popping up elsewhere a few days later,” Stephan said.
Stephan and other officials spoke about a task force the Sheriff’s Department created in 2020 to support efforts to crack down on illegal dispensaries. With county funds approved by the Board of Supervisors, the sheriff’s Marijuana Enforcement Team grew from a sergeant and two deputies to a sergeant, four deputies and a crime analyst, Acting Sheriff Kelly Martinez said.
Stephan said one of the many issues with illegal marijuana dispensaries is that they attract violent crime. She said prosecutors filed murder charges in eight cases tied to illegal marijuana operations in recent years, including one involving three men accused in the death of a security guard, Kenneth Love II.
Love, 59, was fatally shot June 2020 at an unlicensed dispensary in Spring Valley where he worked.
The men charged in his death pleaded not guilty in July. A San Diego Superior Court judge will be asked to determine during a hearing in April whether there is enough evidence for the men to stand trial.
Since March 2019, prosecutors have filed 70 felony cases against people accused of running illegal marijuana businesses. As of Thursday, 19 defendants had pleaded guilty to various charges, including operating a drug house, possessing marijuana for sale, possessing narcotics while armed with a gun, being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy, Stephan said.
As of Thursday 13 defendants had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor crimes such as aiding and abetting illegal operations, Stephan said.
Supervisor Joel Anderson, whose district includes unincorporated communities in East County, pushed for a stronger crackdown on illegal marijuana shops last year. In August, the Board of Supervisors approved a proposal he put forward to speed up a process that allowed the county to take control of properties whose owners had illegally and repeatedly sold marijuana.
On Thursday, Anderson said that as soon as he was sworn in January 2021 he started getting calls about illegal marijuana dispensaries, including one close to Lakeside Elementary School where the shop had the “audacity” to employ sign spinners to advertise their business.
“It’s not about shutting down one, it’s about shutting down a whole bunch,” Anderson said.
Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said the county will keep up its “aggressive” stance. “We are not going to allow these illicit operations to continue in San Diego County,” Fletcher said.
“When we eliminate these businesses in our neighborhoods, we help ensure a safe environment,” access to legal and licensed operations and deter crime, Fletcher said.
Officials acknowledged that while they’ve been successful at shutting down brick and mortal dispensaries, dealers are moving to illegal mobile delivery businesses — a crime they said they will continue to investigate.
Officials said anyone with information about an illegal dispensary or delivery services should contact the local police department.
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