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Investigators say the call came from someone at the home on Rainbow and Newmark, just outside Sanger city limits this morning. But the supposed victims may now be in trouble with the law themselves.
In the back of a sheriff's deputy's car, one of the residents who called in a home invasion dodged an Action News camera. Deputies didn't arrest him, but they held him while they searched his house, and he may be in trouble.
Investigators discovered drugs growing in two different buildings on the property. "The residents here have an indoor medical marijuana grow and we suspect that was the target of the suspects at this point," said Sgt. Michael Chapman, with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies believe the pot grow is legal under state law, but they don't believe the residents are telling the truth about what happened. The victims said someone got onto their property early Friday morning. Residents told investigators they fired off some warning shots, and thwarted the attempted home invasion.
Hours later, an Action News photographer discovered a handgun across the street from the house, along a canal bank. Investigators say it matches the description of one used by the suspect -- if they can believe the residents. But deputies struggled to get information about who was trying to break in.
"We're looking at least one suspect for certain," said Sgt. Chapman. "There's some discrepancy on the description at this point."
Investigators say there were other discrepancies as well. They came to believe the case is more of a drug deal gone bad than an attempted home invasion.
They say the residents are not under arrest, but they're under scrutiny for possibly selling the marijuana they're growing.
The District Attorney's office will have to decide whether to file criminal charges.
