WOFFORD HEIGHTS, Calif. -- On Friday morning, deputies assigned to the Kern County Sheriff's Office Major Violator Unit served a search warrant near Cane Creek, West of Wofford Heights, on U.S. Forest Service property.

The deputies were assisted by a U.S. Forest Agent, two Special Agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Deputies assigned to the KCSO Gang Suppression Special Investigation Unit.

The deputies and agents located a large marijuana garden divided into several small plots.

Some of the marijuana plants were in excess of 8 feet tall, the KCSO reported.

Deputies located and arrested Camillo Villasenor, 29, of Temecula.

Villasenor was found asleep in a a small cavern beneath a large boulder which was located in the main Marijuana garden, the KCSO reported.

A loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol was located next to Villasenor, the KCSO reported.

A second man, Efren Mondragon-Villa, 19, was confronted on a footpath in the garden. Mondragon-Villa, fled and escaped into the forest, the KCSO reported.

Deputies then eradicated 3,158 marijuana plants from the gardens. Due to the remoteness of the area, the eradicated Marijuana was flown out using Sheriff Department helicopters. The Deputies and Villasenor were flown out of the garden.

A short time later, with the help of a citizen tip, Mondragon-Villa, was located at a convenience store in Wofford Heights, the KCSO reported.

Mondragon-Villa had fresh scratches and abrasions to his arms and back area consistent with running through the thick foliage and branches, the KCSO reported.

He was positively identified by the initial pursuing Deputies.

Both men were booked into the Central Receiving Facility for conspiracy and cultivation of marijuana.