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Crime & Safety

Half Moon Bay Man Found With Drugs, Guns Pleads Not Guilty

County narcotics task force recovered several guns as well as $1.2 million in marijuana plants in early February.

A Half Moon Bay man who was of $1.2 million of marijuana plants, 19 pounds of processed marijuana, an assortment of guns and a grenade launcher pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to multiple charges levied against him by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

Lask Tsatsaronis, 37, was arrested after the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force searched his Princeton warehouse and residence in Half Moon Bay on Feb. 1. Search warrants were obtained by county authorities after PG&E reported its suspicion of a marijuana-growing operation at the warehouse after three transformers exploded in November and December last year.

The search also turned up eight grams of psilocybin mushrooms (gross weight), three digital scales, packaging materials, $1285 in cash and two large bank bags (labeled 'Bank of America' and 'US Mint').

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Tsatsaronis also was found to have the following types of guns in his possession: two short-barreled UZIs, silencers for the UZIs, high-capacity magazines for the UZIs,  a 40 mm. M203 grenade launcher, three semi-automatic pistols, a .32 Derringer, two .357 revolvers and various high-capacity magazines for the AK rifle.

Facing charges of possession of methamphetamines and concentrated cannabis, marijuana for sale, damaging or destroying property in commission of a felony, possessing a silencer, two counts of possessing an assault weapon and two counts of possessing a short-barreled rifle,  Tsatsaronis could receive a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and 2 months, according to Karen Guidotti, Chief Criminal Deputy District Attorney for San Mateo County.

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On Tuesday, Judge Donald Ayoob granted the prosecution’s motion to raise the defendant’s bail from $15,000 to $400,000. Later, Tsatsaronis posted two bail bonds and one property bond, and is now out of custody.

The defendant’s case will return to court for a Superior Court hearing on May 3, and a preliminary hearing date of June 6.

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