Rasta church leader to sue Merced Sheriff for raiding marijuana ‘church farm’

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office has dismantled a second large marijuana grow operation that was christened under the Sugarleaf Rasta Church.

On Monday, deputies hit a property on the 12700 block of Westside Boulevard in Livingston, discovering 66 large marijuana plants growing outdoors.

The grow operation was much more than the 12 plants allowed to grow outdoors for medical use per county ordinance.

Three weeks ago, Merced County authorities shut down another grow operation of the same church in Delhi.

But the church’s head pastor, Heidi Lepp, said the county’s ordinance is illegal. And she said she is filing suit against Sheriff Vern Warnke, claiming the raid violated the church’s religious rights.

“I’m the sheriff; she’s a drug dealer.” Warnke said to the Sun-Star when asked to respond Friday.

The Sugarleaf Rasta Church is a self-stated religious organization that uses marijuana — the church prefers the term “cannabis” — as a sacrament.

The organization’s church in Yuba County was the site of an argument that resulted in the shooting of two sheriff’s deputies, who killed a suspect that tended marijuana for the church, according to the Sacramento Bee.

The incident brought law enforcement officers from around the region.

The Livingston raid resulted in the arrest of 53-year-old property owner Randall Leroy Robertson for possession of methamphetamine, paraphernalia and cultivation of marijuana, Sgt. Ray Framstad said.

Authorities also said they found a 22 caliber handgun on the property.

Robertson reportedly told deputies that a representative of the church paid several thousands of dollars to him for help in setting up a marijuana grow operation on the property.

A banner reading “ONA of Sugarleaf Rastafarian Church” was seen hanging at the site, along with a statement claiming “This Sacred Church Farm” belonged to Lepp, and citing religious freedom legislation.

“That’s what we’re seeing with these churches,” Framstad said. “They’re basically using addresses as grow sites ... for the full purpose of growing marijuana for profit.”

Lepp told the Sun-Star Friday that interpretation wasn’t accurate.

“People worship there,” Lepp said. “(Marijuana) is part of our worshipping process. And it’s different for each person.”

The banner, Lepp said, hangs from their churches to inform law enforcement of devotees’ religious rights.

Lepp said she is fighting against county ordinances that restrict growing marijuana plants, like Merced County’s regulations, which she says are illegal.

“You can’t regulate a Catholic Church’s bake sales,” Lepp said. “You can’t go in with guns and take Girl Scout cookies.”

Warnke said Lepp and church members are hiding behind religious freedoms to grow and sell marijuana.

“It’s putting lipstick on a pig,” he said. “She found out the county ordinance is legal because she lost her dope. She wants to be a commercial pot grower.”

Warnke said in light of the Yuba County incident, and history of this specific church, he wants to protect Merced County from the church.

“The bottom line is they are drug dealers,” Warnke said. “It’s illegal and we will continue to eradicate.”

This story has been edited to reflect that the shooting of two Yuba County Sheriff’s deputies by a worker of Sugarleaf Rasta Church did not happen on the church property.

This story was originally published August 25, 2017 at 9:47 PM with the headline "Rasta church leader to sue Merced Sheriff for raiding marijuana ‘church farm’."