“State investigative agencies often partner with local law enforcement agencies to provide personnel and expertise in various areas. It is important for responders to stay safe from harm as they investigate potentially dangerous environments.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
LAKE COUNTY – On August 21, 2026, an unidentified man dropped off Yufang Lan, 46, at Adventist Health Clearlake Hospital. Yufang was unresponsive and in cardiac arrest when she arrived at the hospital. She was later transferred to Adventist Health Saint Helena, where she remained in the intensive care unit until she died on August 27, 2026.
Due to the circumstances surrounding Yufang’s hospitalization and death, detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit began an investigation.
During the investigation, detectives learned Yufang had been working at a permitted cannabis cultivation operation in the 11000 block of Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake. Detectives also developed information regarding the possible use of illegal and potentially hazardous chemicals at the property.
On August 31, 2026, a search warrant related to the death investigation was served. Investigators contacted approximately 20 workers at the property. During the search, investigators located approximately 55,069 cannabis plants, 6,000 pounds of processed cannabis, illegal chemicals, two firearms, and approximately 20,000 gallons of contaminated liquid requiring specialized disposal.
Although the property was operating as a permitted cannabis cultivation site, which is regulated and inspected by state and local agencies, the Sheriff’s Office became involved after detectives developed information during the investigation into Yufang’s death that led them to obtain a search warrant for the property.
Due to the amount of cannabis and hazardous material located at the property, additional resources are being used to safely process the scene and properly dispose of the contaminated material.
The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding Yufang’s death and the activities occurring at the property. The investigation is expected to continue for several months.
Because of the operation’s size and complexity, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from several partner agencies. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, California National Guard, and California Department of Justice for providing resources and personnel to assist with this investigation.