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# Drug bust nets a $115K stash
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/drug-bust-nets-a-115k-stash/
- Published: 2006-04-10T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T17:32:36.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Crime, Ocean Park, #archive-import

*Police seize about 145 pounds of marijuana*

*By Daily Press staff*

OCEAN PARK — Santa Monica police last week arrested a USC art professor following a bust that netted more than $100,000 worth of marijuana.

Lawrence G. Williams, 44, of Santa Monica, was arrested on April 5 for cultivation of marijuana and possession for sales of marijuana. The arrest was made after officers, responding to resident complaints of a marijuana odor surrounding a storage building in the 1600 block of Ocean Park, found more than 150 marijuana plants in Williams’ possession, according to police.

On Wednesday, while Santa Monica narcotics detectives responding to the calls were speaking to employees in the area, they saw Williams enter the storage building in question. Narcotic detectives spoke to him and learned that he was occupying the storage unit. Detectives detained him while a search warrant was sought, based on the odor of marijuana. Once the warrant was obtained, a search of the storage area was conducted.

Inside the storage area, detectives discovered a large marijuana cultivation operation. They recovered 53 mature marijuana plants and 109 immature marijuana plants. The value of the recovered marijuana, which had a combined weight of 145 pounds, is estimated to be $115,000.

Following the search, Williams was arrested. His bail has been set at $100,000.

Williams is a professor in the fine arts department at the University of Southern California, as well as an accomplished artist and author. According to his resume, posted on his personal USC Web page, Williams began teaching at the university in 2005, prior to which he was a teacher at Chaminade University in Hawaii.

According to his biography, also posted on the site, Williams has participated in more than 100 art exhibitions over the last 20 years, and his work hangs in prestigious galleries across the country. He has authored and coauthored more than 40 art catalogues, books, workbooks, poetry books and curriculum materials.

Anyone having additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8491\. Callers who wish to provide anonymous information may also call the We-Tip national hot-line at 1-800-78-CRIME.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/041006-01_01.jpg)

(Photo: Photo courtesy)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 10, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/041006.pdf?ref=smdp.com)