By Connie Skipitares
The San Jose Mercury News
WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Two Watsonville residents and a couple from Hawaii are in custody on drug charges after Drug Enforcement Administration agents found one of the largest caches of LSD in recent memory at a Watsonville home that had allegedly been converted into a drug lab.
Taken into custody were John Lagace, 35, and Tara Bergstrand, 25, of Watsonville, and David Behar, 33, and Lindsay Hogue, 30, of Hawaii. All four were arraigned Friday in federal court in San Jose and charged with possession with intent to sell LSD and conspiracy to possess the drug with intent to sell.
Agents seized about 20 grams of LSD - lysergic acid diethylamide - enough to make 200,000 doses. Also seized were five pounds of marijuana, three silver bars, nine gold coins and $13,000 in cash.
The estimated street value of the LSD is $2 million. Street value of the marijuana is about $17,500.
Behar and Hogue allegedly tried to sell five grams of LSD to undercover agents at a pre-arranged location in Santa Cruz, where the two were arrested without incident. The investigation connected them to a house on the 800 block of Smith Road in Watsonville, where the large cache was uncovered.
Agents began watching the home and zeroed in on Bergstrand and Lagace, whom they followed as they were leaving the house. The couple was stopped in their car and agents found records with “pay/owe” information and dollar amounts ranging from $2,500 to $11,200. Bergstrand had about $900 on her and Lagace was found with $1,300. The two were also taken into custody without incident.
“LSD is a drug we have not seen for a while in the Bay Area, however, this sizable seizure proves there still is a market for the substance,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Pena. “This alarming amount, for instance, could provide every citizen of Watsonville with four doses each.”
In addition to agents from the DEA office in San Jose, the Santa Cruz County Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office also took part in the investigation and arrests.
Copryight 2007 San Jose Mercury News