Four arrested, 200,000 doses of LSD seized by DEA

Photo courtesy UK Drug Forum

By Jason Bennert

December 4, 2007

The Drug Enforcement Administration yesterday announced the arrest in Santa Cruz of two Watsonville residents and two Hawaii residents and the seizure of $2 million worth of the psychedelic drug LSD.

According to the DEA, in November Hawaii resident David Behar, 33, agreed to sell 5 grams of LSD to undercover agents. On Thursday, he and Hawaii resident Lindsay Hogue, 30, were arrested with the LSD that Behar had obtained after traveling to a residence on the 800 block of Smith Road in Watsonville. At the time of the arrest, Hogue had $5,500 in cash in her purse.

Watsonville residents Tara Bergstrand, 25, and John Lagace, 35, were arrested after agents observed them leaving the Smith Road residence.

The agents allegedly found $2,200 in cash and pay/owe sheets with entries in the thousands of dollars in the couple's possession.

A subsequent search of the Smith Road residence turned up 15 grams of LSD, 5 pounds of marijuana, $6,000 U.S. Currency, nine gold coins and three silver bars. The 20 grams of LSD is enough to produce approximately 200,000 doses, according to a DEA statement.

"LSD is a drug we have not seen for a while in the Bay Area; however, this sizeable seizure proves there still is a market for the substance,'' DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Pena said in a statement.

"This alarming amount, for instance, could provide every citizen of Watsonville with four doses each.''

Behar, Hogue, Bergstrand and Lagace are all currently in custody after being arraigned on Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, according to the DEA.

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