Early this morning Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two men after finding them transporting 17 pounds of processed marijuana. At about 1:00 a.m., a Sheriff’s Sergeant conducted a vehicle stop on Myrtle Avenue. A records check revealed the driver, Robert Lightner, 27 of Arcata, was on probation with a search and seizure clause. Additionally, Lightner had five outstanding bench warrants. The Sergeant arrested Lightner while a second deputy arrived to assist.

Lightner’s passenger, Michael Demko III, 36 of McKinleyville, was asked to step out of the vehicle, a pick-up truck with a canopy, while deputies conducted a probation search of the truck. While searching the cargo area of the truck, deputies found a case that contained a large amount of dried, processed marijuana. The marijuana was packaged inside 17 plastic bags, each bag being marked with its weight (one pound) and type of marijuana. Deputies also found a digital scale inside the truck.

Both Lightner and Demko were arrested for the possession of marijuana for sale and the transportation of marijuana for sale. Lightner was also booked for his warrants. At time of his arrest, Lightner was serving time on the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program (SWAP) for a previous conviction and is, therefore, ineligible to post bail. Demko’s bail was set at $50,000.