Three arrested in alleged illegal marijuana operation in Bend

Published 3:03 pm Thursday, March 2, 2023

Three arrested in alleged illegal pot operation

Three people were arrested following police investigations into alleged illegal marijuana production and distribution out of homes in Three Rivers and Bend.

On Wednesday, an investigation by the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team found that a home in Three Rivers housed an illegal marijuana growing and processing operation as well as an extraction laboratory, Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp, with the marijuana enforcement team, said, in a news release Thursday. At the same time, a second investigation found a couple in Bend were allegedly distributing Oregon cannabis products around the country from their home.

The Bend case began when Paige Lyn Sidler, 41, of Bend tried to board a flight at Redmond Airport but was allegedly carrying several packages of commercial quantity cannabis concentrate. Many of the packages allegedly belonged to Daniel Jose Aguiar, 34, of Bend, police said.

Regional and federal drug enforcement officers searched homes, one on the 55000 block of Lazy River Drive in Three Rivers, and one on the 61400 block of Linton Loop in Bend.

During the searches, authorities found several pounds of processed marijuana, marijuana plants, firearms and a large amount of money, according to Vander Kamp. The cannabis extraction lab was also seized.

Aguiar was charged with attempted unlawful manufacture of a marijuana item and unlawful manufacture of more than double the lawful amount of products or concentrates. Sidler, along with her boyfriend, Mark Arie Mehrhof, 44, of Bend were both detained in the house, and Mehrhof was determined to have allegedly taken part in the operation.

Sidler and Mehrhof were charged with unlawful import/export of marijuana concentrate and possession of marijuana concentrate. Sidler was also charged at Redmond Airport with unlawful import/export of marijuana concentrate, the release said.