Santa Monica Police Sniff Out Pot Farm

By Lookout Staff

April 10 -- Santa Monica police arrested a local man last week after finding more than 150 marijuana plants in a storage locker he allegedly owns in the Sunset Park Neighborhood.

The plants -- with a street value estimated at nearly $115,000 -- were discovered April 5 after Santa Monica police received complaints of “an odor of marijuana” in the vicinity of a storage building at the 1600 block of Ocean Park Boulevard.

Lawrence G. Williams, 44, of Santa Monica -- who police say owns of the locker -- was arrested for “cultivation of marijuana and possession for sales of marijuana,” according to Lt. Frank Fabrega, the police department spokesman. He was released on $100,000 bail.

Williams is a fine arts teacher and published author. A spokesperson for the University of Southern California (USC) said news reports that Williams was professor at the school were incorrect.

Williams, the spokesman said, had only taught at USC as a “visiting lecturer” during the 2005 fall semester and was no longer with the school.

On April 5, police investigating the smell of marijuana saw a man enter the storage facility that appeared to be the source of the scent, Fabrega said.

Narcotics detectives spoke to the man and “discovered he was occupying the unit.” After the alleged admission, police detained Williams, while they obtained a search warrant, which eventually netted 53 mature marijuana plants and 109 immature plants with a combined weight of 145 pounds.

Anyone having additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at 310-458-8491. Callers who wish to provide anonymous information may also call the We-Tip national hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).