Hemet Marijuana 'Watchgator': Cops Find 4-Foot Alligator Guarding Pot Stash

HEMET, Calif. -- California narcotics investigators found a $1.5 million marijuana growing operation at a house and an unusual security guard – a 4-foot-long alligator named Wally.

The Riverside County drug task force team moved in on the Hemet area house on Monday night and seized nearly 2,300 pot plants. The commander says agents also found the reptile, described as a "watchgator."

The healthy 55-pound American alligator was turned over to the Phelan-based Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary, since gators are illegal in California.

The Riverside Press-Enterprise reports 29-year-old John Nathan Donna, who lives in the home, was arrested and booked for investigation of marijuana cultivation and possession. He was released Tuesday on $100,000 bail.

Comments

[Alison Jones]

03:04 PM on 03/11/2011

They were a legit op, they were not drug dealers dealing out of their home, they only dealt with dispensaries, so how could they be running a dispensary out of their home when they were giving all their meds to the local dispensaries?

[AZmarijuana dot com]

07:39 PM on 03/10/2011

Why should the taxpayers have to pay for this 29 yr old to go to court and possibly jail when the world is in need of cultivators that are able to grow large quantities of medical grade cannabis? Sounds like he is quite the horticulturalist if he had upwards of 2300 marijuana plants under the same roof. Fly the kid to Arizona, we'll put him to work! Join the movement at www.AZmarijuana.com or www.facebook.com/pages/AZmarijuanacom/173033339405241

[assbite]

03:08 PM on 03/10/2011

We're going to need a bigger gator!

[fumes]

03:06 PM on 03/10/2011

FREE WALLY!!!

c'ya later..

[socalcde]

03:02 PM on 03/10/2011

It's too bad the plants had to be inside the house. Seems like they'd be healthier and happier outside, the gator too.

[G D]

08:49 PM on 03/09/2011

With all that herb I'm sure the gator is pissed about leaving!

[FTracy3]

05:38 PM on 03/09/2011

A combination marijuana and gator-raid.

[HawaiiShira]

04:59 PM on 03/09/2011

Stupidity at its finest!

[SamKnause]

04:15 PM on 03/09/2011

Do we all feel safe now that 2300 herbal plants have been seized ?

[LONDON3]

04:32 PM on 03/09/2011

LOL .....really though .....seriously ....with all the synthetic drugs, crystal meth and now the latest drug CHARLIE SHEEN .....who still cares about pot these days ...... There are MANY more real destructive drugs .... try alcohol for example ...... The planet would be a much better place with pot left right where it grows.... then folks wouldn't have to guard and hide it ...... Pot has been around as far back as I "can't" ...(LOL) remember AND its gonna be around so stop wasting tax payer dollars fighting a neverending battle and fight the real battles ......

[admrob]

12:49 AM on 03/10/2011

Yes, I feel safe going outside now.

[Max Shaw]

04:13 PM on 03/09/2011

Oh no! Pot plants! Whatever will we NOT do! Jeez...cant believe this didnt pass last year. So disappointed that we couldnt be sober for one day and get out sh** together so we wouldnt have to THIS year.

On a separate note, the gator was actually a good idea. They dont bark and they dont let go. Too bad it wasnt bigger.

[LONDON3]

04:33 PM on 03/09/2011

LOL ....

[socalcde]

03:00 PM on 03/10/2011

The gator in the photo looks pretty docile, the guy is holding him like he was a cat or something.

[TheIndependentView]

04:06 PM on 03/09/2011

We need a gator watchdog to keep an eye on Social Security.

[LONDON3]

04:34 PM on 03/09/2011

Yes we do ....lets head down to Florida and grab a few ....we can turn em loose on few folks we all know

[TheIndependentView]

04:05 PM on 03/09/2011

What a croc!

[YoureSoShain]

03:56 PM on 03/09/2011

LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND GATOR WATCHDOGS!

[BillyClub]

03:55 PM on 03/09/2011

Question: Will the gator be indicted as a co-conspirator?

[Bellla]

03:54 PM on 03/09/2011

One 4 foot gator isn't enough to guard yer growroom! You need at least 5 six foot gators to properly guard a grow room!
If you have 1.5 million in assets to protect spending 10,000 $ to protect the investment is not out of line... cheap blustard was skimping on his reptile budget!

[lincutious]

07:54 PM on 03/10/2011

The economy forced him to downsize his security.