Joe Froome Enters No-Contest Pleas

A Red Bluff events promoter pled no-contest Friday morning in two cases in exchange for probation.

Joe Froome, 50, entered pleas to charges of maintaining a place for sales or use of narcotics and failure to file corporate tax returns. Both charges are felonies.

Froome was arrested in October 2009 when agents raided four buildings he owned that had elaborate indoor marijuana growing systems. He will file both his corporate and personal tax returns for 2008 and 2009 and pay any taxes due as part of the agreement

His case has been referred to the Tehama County probation department. Both cases were investigated by the Tehama County District Attorney's Office, Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement (TIDE) and the California Franchise Tax Board.

Froome will be back in court for sentencing on March 18 at 9:00 a.m.