Arrest made as more marijuana fields found in Polk County

Rene Carbajal Burrisqueta, 26, charged with evading arrest

Author: Amy Davis,
Investigative Reporter/Consumer Expert

Published On: 2 h Updated 1 h


GOODRICH, Texas -Investigators discovered 29 fields of marijuana growing in the small town of Goodrich in Polk County.

The first field was discovered Saturday by a deer hunter. By Tuesday, officers had pulled 100,197 plants.

Now, more than a dozen law enforcement agencies are trying to figure out who's responsible for the elaborate illegal operation.

"It's a self-contained operation ... from the irrigation down to the even the how they take and fertilize their crops, this is a money-making venture," said Polk County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Byron Lyons.

Investigators found several camps with tents, generators, food and sophisticated irrigation systems.

Tuesday, when game wardens rolled up to one camp, chief Lyons said two men ran. Texas Department of Corrections K-9s helped track one of the men. Rene Carbajal Burrisqueta, 26, was arrested and charged with evading arrest. He also has an INS detainer.

Lyons said they still have to question Burrisqueta, but they know he wasn't working alone.

"It's kind of hard to say how long these guys have been here because even though these plants are young plants, there's a possibility that there were mature plants that were already harvested out and they're starting over again," he said.

Lyons said investigators will fingerprint all of the generators and other items recovered to see if they can identify more suspects. They're asking property owners in the area to call police if they see any suspicious activity or people.

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