Anderson underground bunker raid uncovers 13 illegal guns, 10,000 rounds in suspected grow operation
On Jan. 20, 2026, CHP officers found a sophisticated underground bunker at Michael Jay Kamfolt’s Anderson property, uncovering a clandestine marijuana grow plus 13 illegal firearms and roughly 10,000 rounds of ammunition and multiple high-capacity magazines.
Key takeaways
- Suspect: Michael Jay Kamfolt, 40, of Anderson — investigated and arrested after a December 2025 tip led to a January 20, 2026 search (source: California Highway Patrol; Shasta Scout).
- Seizure: 13 firearms (including a sawed-off shotgun and three AR-15–style rifles), ~10,000 rounds including armor-piercing rounds, 30 high-capacity magazines and four soft body armor vests.
- Charges: Nearly a dozen felony weapons-related counts under California law; Kamfolt posted $50,000 bail and was released.
- Investigation: Probe remains active — authorities are tracing firearms, origins, and any broader trafficking or violent-actor links (coverage: Fox News).
Search and discovery of the Anderson bunker
The California Highway Patrol Northern Division Canine Unit received a tip in December 2025 about a suspected illegal marijuana grow on private property in Anderson, Shasta County. Officers conducted an overflight to confirm activity and carried out a month-long investigation that culminated in a search warrant executed on January 20, 2026.
Investigators accessed a concealed underground bunker via a roughly 100-foot culvert. Inside they found a fortified space with independent power and ventilation, concrete floors with built-in drainage and cultivation supplies consistent with indoor marijuana operations. CHP described the structure as sophisticated and designed to conceal and sustain long-term activity.
Weapons and evidence seized
Authorities recovered an “alarming cache of illegal firearms and ammunition,” according to CHP Northern Division Chief John Pinoli. Seized items included:
- 13 firearms — notably a sawed-off shotgun and three AR-15-style rifles (one rifle had its serial number obliterated).
- Two firearms reported stolen (one reported missing in 2016 and another dating to 1978).
- Approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds.
- 30 high-capacity magazines and four soft body armor vests.
“This operation went far beyond an illegal grow. The combination of a hidden bunker and an alarming cache of illegal firearms and ammunition highlights the threat posed to public safety.” — CHP Northern Division Chief John Pinoli
Charges and legal status: Michael Jay Kamfolt
Kamfolt was booked on multiple felony counts under California law. Charging documents and CHP statements list offenses that include:
- 30605(a) PC: Possession of an assault rifle.
- 30600(a) PC: Manufacturing an assault rifle.
- 33215 PC: Manufacturing a short-barreled rifle.
- 32625(a) PC and 32625(b) PC: Possession of and converting a firearm into a machine gun.
- 30315 PC: Possession of armor-piercing ammunition.
- 32310(c) PC: Possession of high-capacity magazines.
- Additional counts tied to a ghost gun — a firearm without a serial number or registration.
Local booking records show Kamfolt was held overnight at the Shasta County Jail and released after posting $50,000 bail. Shasta County court records reported no prior criminal convictions. CHP has stated the investigation is ongoing and that no marijuana-related charges were filed at the time of the CHP public notice (see reporting from Shasta Scout).
Community ties and online activity
Local reporting connects Kamfolt to Shasta County civic events and politics: he supported County Supervisor Kevin Crye, attended election-focused gatherings, and was photographed at a board meeting alongside local militia members during earlier protests. After the arrest, Crye initially called Kamfolt a friend before later distancing himself as more details emerged.
Journalists also archived social media posts attributed to Kamfolt that include pro-Nazi, antisemitic and Islamophobic content on X (formerly Twitter), which intensified public concern and amplified scrutiny beyond the criminal allegations (coverage: Shasta Scout).
Investigation status and law enforcement comments
CHP described the raid as the result of coordinated work — aerial surveillance, canine units and a Warrant Service Team — and emphasized public safety risks. Officers are pursuing leads on firearm origins, possible connections to trafficking networks, and the potential that weapons were stored for sale or planned violent acts. The presence of firearms with obliterated serial numbers and guns reported stolen decades ago raises questions about long-running theft or trafficking channels (CHP release: CHP news alert).
Context and wider implications
While illegal indoor marijuana grows are documented in parts of Northern California, the discovery of a powered, ventilated bunker built to conceal long-term activity — combined with a large, varied weapons cache — represents an elevated threat for local public safety. Media have described the setup as a “fortified” or “prepper” style bunker, drawing comparisons to shelters intended to sustain occupants through emergencies or evade detection.
Implications for broader audiences:
- Public safety and gun trafficking: Ghost guns, obliterated serial numbers and decades-old stolen firearms show how weapons can circulate through opaque channels, complicating tracing and enforcement.
- Policy and enforcement: The case underscores limits of legislation when firearms are masked or manufactured and highlights the role of cross-unit policing in uncovering hidden operations.
- Rural radicalization: The intersection of clandestine infrastructure, large arsenals and extremist online content is a reminder that radicalization and violent capabilities can exist outside urban centers.
- Cross-sector response: Detecting such operations depends on tips, interagency coordination and community reporting — a model relevant to domestic and international public-safety agencies.
Reporting notes and sources
This report draws on official and local reporting, including the CHP press release, coverage by Shasta Scout, and national reporting from Fox News.
Further inquiries about charges and court records can be directed to Shasta County court services and the CHP Northern Division.
