Livingston woman arrested after deputy finds 150 marijuana plants

A Livingston woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of growing marijuana at her home, the Merced County Sheriff's Department reported.

Yadira Virrueta- Hernandez, 30, was arrested after Merced County Sheriff's deputy Mark Taylor visited her house in the 15000 block of Vinewood Road just outside Livingston, according to Deputy Tom MacKenzie, sheriff's spokesman.

From the laundry room, Taylor could see marijuana plants about four feet tall growing in her backyard. Deputies counted 150 marijuana plants growing behind the home, MacKenzie said.

Taylor sent his police dog, Rio, to search the inside of the home. Rio uncovered several containers which contained nine pounds of trimmed marijuana. They also found three handguns, a small bindle of cocaine and a half ounce of rock cocaine, MacKenzie said.

Virrueta-Hernandez, who is eight months pregnant, admitted that she knew about the drugs but blamed them on another resident of the house, the sheriff's department said. Virrueta-Hernandez's 4-year-old son was turned over to child protective services.

She remains in jail on $80,000 bail.