Cultivator could get five years in prison

A Valley Springs man scheduled to be sentenced on gun and drug charges Monday in Calaveras County Superior Court will now face a Thursday hearing.

Edward Pereira, 38, pleaded guilty in April to charges of possession of marijuana packaged for sale, cultivation of marijuana, illegal possession of an assault rifle and two counts of receiving stolen property.

The charges are related to an undercover narcotics operation that found more than 1,700 marijuana plants at Pereira’s McCauley Drive home and another on Chile Camp Road in Campo Seco where his cousin, Eric Nelson lived.

Nelson has also been charged with marijuana-related crimes and is being held at the Calaveras County Jail.

Pereira also admitted to stealing a Caterpillar backhoe and front-end loader from his former employer.

His sentencing had to be postponed Monday as visiting Judge James Cadle noted Pereira had not waived his right to be sentenced by the same judge who accepted his plea entry.

Though his attorney, Mary Ann Bird, said her client was willing to enter such a waiver Monday, Cadle said he had not reviewed the probation report on Pereira and the afternoon was quickly eaten up by three other preliminary hearings on the calendar.

Pereira, who remains in custody at the jail, is now scheduled to go before visiting El Dorado County Judge Thomas Smith at 1:15 p.m. Thursday.