12 arrested on suspicion of trafficking pot to East Coast

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Santa Rosa police have arrested ten Bay Area residents and two from the East Coast in connection with an alleged large interstate marijuana sales, cultivation and distribution operation.

The suspects conspired to traffic the marijuana from Sonoma County to New York and Boston and throughout California, Sgt. Mike Tosti said.

They were arrested on suspicion of various charges that include possession of marijuana for sale, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, transportation of marijuana for sales and cultivation of marijuana.

Narcotics detectives confiscated 39 pounds of processed marijuana and $280,000 cash, Tosti said.

Detectives stopped two vehicles on March 21 and arrested Mohammed Jaber, 28, of Staten Island, N.Y. and Lisa Tam, 31, of Waltham Mass., Tosti said. Detectives found $150,000 wrapped in paper to avoid detection in their rental car, Tosti said.

At the Sebastopol motel Jaber and Tam were staying in, detectives arrested Sterling Ramsey, 35, of Willits and found one pound of processed marijuana in the motel, Tosti said.

Adam Thomas, 27, of Santa Rosa and Ian Stalberg, 31, of Sebastopol were arrested when detectives found seven pounds of marijuana and $25,000 in their vehicle, Tosti said.

On Thursday, detectives searched residences in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa where cash and processed marijuana were found, Tosti said.

Detectives found a marijuana growing operation at the Sebastopol residence and evidence of a conspiracy to distribute the pot to the East Coast, Tosti said.

Detective arrested Edward Wight, 43, and Collette Wight, 40, of Santa Rosa at the Sebastopol residence.

Louis Frankel, 35, Molley Robey, 21, Ashley Williams, 26, all of Santa Rosa, Isaiah Dawid, 24, of Scotts Valley and Randall Vance, 27, of San Francisco, were arrested at or driving away from the Santa Rosa residence on Louis Krohn Drive where more processed marijuana and cash were found, Tosti said.

All the suspects were booked into the Sonoma County jail.

Several other co-conspirators are still at large and are believed to have fled California, Tosti said.

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santa rosa, crime, pot bust, marijuana, drugs, north bay news

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