Illegal Marijuana Processing Facility Burns Down Near Eagle Point, Authorities Discover Butane Honey Oil Lab Nearby, Seize Marijuana, Oil

JCSO Case # 21-6009

Eagle Point, Ore. - A fire at a local unlicensed marijuana processing facility alerted authorities to an illegal butane honey oil (BHO) laboratory Saturday night.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies and Fire District Three (JCFD3) firefighters responded for multiple calls about a building on fire at a marijuana grow at 7:40 p.m. Saturday on the 6400 block of Butte Falls Highway near Eagle Point. Responding units found a detached garage on fire near other structures. The garage housed an illegal marijuana processing facility and was fully engulfed in flames.

Authorities discovered the illegal BHO lab in a building next to the burning garage. Jackson County’s Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) was called in to investigate and seized 300 pounds of processed marijuana, and 100 mason jars full of butane honey oil.

George Michael Chipman Jr., was cited and released for manufacturing and possession of a controlled substance. The property had no license to grow or process marijuana.

IMET is a multi-agency task force funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The task force includes personnel from JCSO, Medford Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

Investigations are ongoing by IMET detectives and JCFD3 fire investigators.