June 22, 2022 11:00 a.m.

A Canyonville man was jailed for drug crimes, after being located along the freeway Tuesday afternoon.

Lieutenant Rick McArthur of the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team said the arrest is in regards to a previous investigation by detectives.

McArthur said in January of this year, a search warrant was served at the residence of 25-year old Alejandro Martinez in the 600 block of Gross Loop in Canyonville. During the search, detectives allegedly found approximately 546 pounds of processed marijuana packaged in one-pound bags, and stored in boxes, ready for shipment. McArthur said also found was a small number of growing marijuana plants, an undisclosed amount of cash, as well as other evidence of drug trafficking.

The DINT release said the residence was unoccupied at the time of the search warrant, as Martinez had been taken into custody earlier that morning by police in Fresno County, California on unrelated charges. Martinez was later released from custody in March after posting $100,000 bond. Additionally, Martinez is on parole in California, and a condition of his parole is that he is not allowed to leave that state.

McArthur said on Tuesday, DINT detectives learned that Martinez was back in the local area and notified deputies of the information. At approximately 3:00 p.m. a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy found Martinez in a vehicle that had broken down on Interstate 5, south of Canyonville.

Martinez was charged with unlawful manufacture and possession of marijuana, laundering a monetary instrument and attempting to commit a Class B felony. Bail was set at $500,000.