Juan Albion
Chicken Sniffer 3rd Class
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Investigators from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office and Sheriff's Department searched entertainer Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Tuesday as part of an "ongoing criminal investigation," a spokesman said.
The search warrant was served at 8:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET), said Chris Pappas, a spokesman for the sheriff's department.
A source close to Jackson said the singer was not at or near the ranch, but was in the country. The execution of the search warrant came as a "total surprise," the source said.
No details were released about what sparked the criminal investigation.
The search was conducted on the same day that Epic Records released his greatest hits album and DVD "Michael Jackson Number Ones."
The search warrant was served at 8:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET), said Chris Pappas, a spokesman for the sheriff's department.
A source close to Jackson said the singer was not at or near the ranch, but was in the country. The execution of the search warrant came as a "total surprise," the source said.
No details were released about what sparked the criminal investigation.
The search was conducted on the same day that Epic Records released his greatest hits album and DVD "Michael Jackson Number Ones."