The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating allegations that a person was forced to live and work for about two years under inhumane conditions at an illegal cannabis farm near Navarro, authorities said Friday, May 8.

Deputies served a search warrant Monday, May 4, at a property in the 3000 block of Seabiscuit Drive, where investigators said they found one adult who reported being forced to work at the site without pay and without sufficient food or bathroom access, according to a sheriff’s news release.

Investigators collected evidence and referred the case to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office. Jail records show Jesse Upton, 43, of Boonville, was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking for forced labor, assault with a deadly weapon and multiple cannabis-related offenses. He was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail Friday at the Mendocino County Jail.

The person, who, as the victim in the case has not been identified by authorities, told investigators Upton used force, threats and physical abuse, including assaults involving weapons, to prevent them from leaving the property, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

During the search Monday, deputies found an active cannabis growing operation with over 300 plants and more than 600 pounds of processed cannabis packaged for illegal sales, officials said.

Authorities also reported finding a butane honey oil extraction lab and more than 240 gallons of butane at the property. Honey oil, also known as cannabis concentrate, is made by using butane to extract the psychoactive THC compound from cannabis plants. Under California law, unauthorized butane extraction can be prosecuted as a felony because of the chemical and fire hazards associated with the process.

Investigators also found evidence of environmental damage at the site, including fuel and oil products, fertilizers, foreign soil and chemical additives associated with cannabis cultivation, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The property’s steep terrain lacked containment measures, officials said, and showed visible runoff pathways that could carry pollutants into Flynn Creek, a tributary of the Navarro River watershed.

According to Capt. Quincy Cromer, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, the department has contacted the California Water Board and will collaborate with the agency to address potential runoff or pollution issues related to the case.

The person who reported being abused was connected with support services through the Northern California Coalition to Safeguard Communities, a victim advocacy organization that provides services for human trafficking survivors, officials said.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office at 707-463-4086, option 1, or leave an anonymous tip at 707-234-2100.

You can reach Staff Writer Isabel Beer at isabel.beer@gmail.com.