Children, gun, evidence of honey-oil lab found in Delhi home, deputies say

Deputies found components of a marijuana cultivation lab and firearms in a Delhi home that also housed three children, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies served a search warrant at 7:45 p.m. Friday on a home at 9304 Hillside Drive in Delhi after Deputy Hugo Bucio investigated the residence earlier in the week. Deputies have been to the home several times in the past for marijuana grows and firearms, Sgt. Ray Framstad said.

Bucio found three assault rifles, a ballistic vest and a loaded shotgun in the first bedroom. Deputies also found butane canisters, butane collection vessels, marijuana extraction tubes and other items often used for butane honey oil extraction, a process that extracts oils from marijuana for use.

The equipment showed evidence it had been used before, including concentrated marijuana stuck to glass trays, Framstad said.

“Deputies believed Gomez was previously processing concentrated marijuana in his room located less than 10 feet from an exposed water heater,” Framstad said. “Residents are fortunate the butane never came into contact with the heat source which could have been fatal to the children as well as Gomez.”

About 20 pounds of processed ready-for-conversion marijuana was found along with eight pounds of marijuana buds and three outdoor 12-foot marijuana plants, the release states.

Three children, one who was Gomez’s child and two who were other family members, were found in a rear bedroom and escorted out as deputies continued investigating, Framstad said.

The children were placed into CPS custody, deputies said, noting family members arriving at the scene “made it very difficult” for CPS to detain the children.

“The family had a hard time understanding why the children were being detained,” Framstad said. “They didn’t understand the significance of butane cans and firearms.”

The home was being used more as a “user-style” marijuana oil extraction lab, Framstad said, noting that hot plates and other items were found in lieu of the ovens previously found in larger BHO labs.

Gomez has three prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms, deputies said. A shotgun seized in the search was reported stolen out of Pittsburg.

Gomez was arrested and booked into Merced County Jail Friday night on suspicion of misdemeanors and felony child endangerment, felon possession and storage of a firearm and ammunition, possession of body armor and keeping a place to sell or process a controlled substance, the release states

He was in custody Saturday with a $270,500 bond amount, according to jail records.