A real estate developer who touts herself as “California’s cannabis landlord” was arrested during a raid by San Bernardino police at her Pacific Palisades home, authorities confirmed Thursday.
Stephanie Smith, 44, was taken into custody at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and booked into the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, where she was being held on $30,000 bail. She was booked on suspicion of possession for sales of a controlled substance, San Bernardino Police Department spokeswoman Sadie Albers said.
Smith is scheduled for arraignment Friday, Feb. 22, in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to online booking records.
Albers confirmed that about $200,000 in cash was seized from Smith’s home in the 400 block of Puerto del Mar, along with a large stash of prescription Norco and oxycodone pills, during the raid.
Smith’s arrest was preceded by a Feb. 6 police raid at a building owned by her at 444 N. H St. in San Bernardino, where more than 2,600 pounds of marijuana was seized, Albers said.
The raid and arrest culminated a more than 14-month investigation by San Bernardino police into Smith’s alleged illegal marijuana cultivation enterprises in San Bernardino.
Smith, an ambitious and wealthy real estate developer, entrepreneur, and mother of five, has denied being a “drug lord,” insisting she is merely a landlord who leases her properties to cultivators and has nothing to do with their marijuana-growing enterprises. She has, however, acknowledged being an advocate for the commercial sale of legalized marijuana, and has led efforts to place legalization measures on several city ballots and is actively suing several cities,including Colton, over their cannabis policies.
In December 2017, San Bernardino police raided four buildings in the city owned by Smith, including a former telephone company building, seizing more than 4 1/2 tons of marijuana. They also raided Smith’s home, but she was not arrested or charged with any crime at the time.
Marijuana has become a major issue in San Bernardino. In November, voters approved two ballot measures allowing the commercial sale and taxation of marijuana in the city, paving the way for cultivation and commercial sales of the leafy drug.
Smith has been a major donor to political candidates. During the 2017 police raid at her home, San Bernardino police found a card from San Bernardino Mayor John Valdivia thanking her for her “campaign contribution, trust, support & friendship.” She contributed $6,000 to Valdivia’s campaign in 2016, campaign finance records show.
Although Valdivia has refused to disclose his position on legalized marijuana cultivation and the commercial sale of the drug, his campaign finance reports revealed another generous donation last August from High Times CEO Adam Levin. High Times is the counter-cultural monthly magazine and marijuana brand, and for the past five years the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino has been home to the annual High Times Cannabis Cup. The event’s website touts it as the “world’s leading marijuana trade show.”
Valdivia could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Staff writer Brooke Edwards Staggs contributed to this report.
