Hidden Valley Lake man arrested for Sonoma Valley home invasion robbery

NORTH COAST, Calif. — The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said it has arrested two suspects from Hidden Valley Lake and Santa Rosa as part of its investigation into a violent home invasion robbery in Sonoma earlier this month.

Hugo Alexander Matamoros-Acosta, 20, of Hidden Valley Lake, and Sincere Nasir Rush Tanner, 22, of Santa Rosa, were taken into custody in the case, the agency said.

Authorities said the home invasion occurred at approximately 4:14 a.m. Sept. 12 in the 3000 block of Wood Valley Road in Sonoma. 

Deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery where masked subjects, armed with firearms, forcibly entered a residence and restrained three victims, two of them being elderly, officials said.

The subjects threatened the victims, demanding valuables and, during the incident, one of the robbers struck a victim over the head with a blunt object, resulting in injury. The subjects fled the scene with stolen items.

Following the incident, detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Unit were dispatched to the scene and assumed responsibility for the investigation, the agency said.

Based on the information they gathered, detectives were able to track down Matamoros-Acosta and Tanner at Twin Pine Casino in Middletown, the report said. 

During the execution of a search warrant, the sheriff’s office said detectives recovered a firearm in Rush Tanner's car that they suspect was used in the robbery. 

Both suspects were arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility on multiple charges.

Rush Tanner is being held on $1 million bail for felony charges including elder abuse, kidnapping to commit robbery, vehicle theft, altering a firearm ID number, first-degree robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a large-capacity magazine and conspiracy.

Matamoros-Acosta is being held on $1,031,000 bail for felony charges including elder abuse, kidnapping to commit robbery, vehicle theft, first-degree robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy, and a misdemeanor violation of probation.

Both remain in custody.

Court records show both Matamoros-Acosta and Rush Tanner were arraigned on Sept. 16 and are due to return to court on Oct. 7 to enter their pleas.

Detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit are actively investigating this incident to identify all those involved. Anyone with information about this incident to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office at 707-565-2185, or submit an anonymous tip through the agency’s website.

Governor signs legislation cutting taxes on cannabis

On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation meant to help ensure the long-term success of California’s legal cannabis market, which is reported to be the largest in the world.

The legislation, AB 564, eliminates a 25% tax increase on California's legal cannabis industry.

“We’re rolling back this cannabis tax hike so the legal market can continue to grow, consumers can access safe products and our local communities see the benefits,” said Newsom.
 
"California's cannabis economy can bring enormous benefits to our state, but only if our legal industry is given a fair chance to compete against the untaxed and unregulated illegal market,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney (D–San Francisco), the bill’s author. “AB 564 helps level the playing field. It protects California jobs, keeps small businesses open, and ensures that our legal cannabis market can grow and thrive the way voters intended.”

AB 564 reverses a 25% tax increase on California's legal cannabis industry and sets the state’s cannabis excise tax rate at 15% until 2028, allowing legal businesses to remain competitive and promoting the industry’s long-term growth. 

The administration recently enacted measures to bolster long-term enforcement efforts against illegal operators by dedicating cannabis tax revenue to fund civil and criminal enforcement activities. Newsom’s office said this will reduce the burden on legal businesses while ensuring sustained actions against illegal operators. 

In addition, Board of State and Community Corrections grant eligibility has expanded to local jurisdictions, especially those allowing retail access, to further enhance and support local enforcement efforts against illegal cannabis activity. 

A unified strategy across California 

So far, the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce, or UCETF, which Newsom established in 2022, has seized and destroyed over 317 tons, or over 635,303 pounds, of illegal cannabis worth an estimated retail value of $890 million through nearly 230 multiagency operations.

UCETF has enhanced collaboration and enforcement coordination between state, local and federal partners. Partners on the task force include the Department of Cannabis Control, the Department of Pesticide Regulation, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, among others. 

To learn more about the legal California cannabis market, state licenses, and laws, visit cannabis.ca.gov. 

Supervisors to consider final 2025-26 budget, business aid, Behavioral Health contract and cannabis permit freeze

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will take up a slate of fiscal and policy matters, including adopting the final 2025-26 budget, considering $60,000 in support for business groups, increasing $350,000 for a Behavioral Health contract and imposing a temporary ban on new cannabis cultivation permits. 

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌watched‌ ‌live‌ ‌on‌ ‌Channel‌ ‌8, ‌online‌ ‌at‌ ‌https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx‌‌ and‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌county’s‌ ‌Facebook‌ ‌page. ‌Accompanying‌ ‌board‌ ‌documents, ‌the‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌and‌ ‌archived‌ ‌board‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌videos‌ ‌also‌ ‌are‌ ‌available‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌link. ‌ ‌

To‌ ‌participate‌ ‌in‌ ‌real-time, ‌join‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zoom‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌by‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌this‌ ‌link‌. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌ID‌ ‌is‌ 865 3354 4962, ‌pass code 726865.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.

At 10:15 a.m., the board will consider a one-time combined $60,000 allocation from the county — $26,000 for the Lake County Economic Development Corp., or EDC, and $34,000 for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce — to stabilize funding while the two organizations “share an executive director” and reduce costs, according to the staff report. 

The EDC has not received its usual $109,000 from the US Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development Grant, awarded since 2019. If the grant comes through, the staff report said it will repay the $26,000 to the county, and explore ways to return the full $60,000. 

The allocation would come from the county’s $900,000 economic development impact fee deferral program, reducing it to $840,000.

The financial difficulty of the Lake County Chamber came up during the county’s budget hearings in June.

Supervisor Brad Rasmussen said the chamber “can’t sustain running that visitor center” since the transfer of transient occupancy tax to the Tourism Improvement District. “What’s at risk is that the visitor center may close,” Rasmussen said.

He added that an annual $50,000 allocation to the chamber will need discussion.

Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said at the same hearing, “A group to support businesses that can't run their own business and needs us to support them financially to run their business, seems a little bit on the awkward side.”

On Sept. 2, Amanda Martin, hired in December 2024 as chief executive officer of the chamber, announced her resignation after nine months in the role.

At 10:30 a.m., the board will discuss a presentation about the outcome of the 2025 Clear Lake Hitch community science spawner observation program, which trained community volunteers to observe and collect data about the hitch. 

At 11 a.m., the board will consider the final recommended budget for fiscal year 2025-26. 

The staff report noted adjustments to budget, project and position allocation, as the county has received new funds since the June hearings, such as $6,493,892 in Fund Balance Available and $12,506,226 in American Rescue Plan Act, also known as the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. 

At 1 p.m., the board will consider establishing an ad hoc committee to develop agriculture road standards. 

In 2019, the board clarified that outdoor cannabis cultivation should follow agricultural rather than commercial road standards. However, broader discussion raised the need for consistent road standards across all agricultural activities such as pears, walnuts and winegrapes. 

The proposed ad hoc committee would include representatives from local agriculture, fire districts, the Lake County Winegrape Association and the Farm Bureau. 

Staff proposes that the committee function as a temporary working group, not subject to the Brown Act, coordinated by Community Development, and aligned with the timeline for updating cannabis regulations. 

At 2 p.m., the board will consider an ordinance amendment that temporarily bans new commercial cannabis cultivation applications and halt the process of incomplete applications. 

“In response to declining permitted cannabis cultivation and an increasing backlog of incomplete applications,” the staff report said, “the ordinance would temporarily prohibit the acceptance of new commercial cannabis cultivation applications and halt the process of applications not deemed complete as of the ordinance’s effective date.”

This measure, once approved, will remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2026.

“This action would allow staff to focus on processing existing complete applications while supporting the development of a comprehensive, updated cannabis ordinance,” the staff report said.

At 2:30 p.m., the board will consider impacts of recent and pending withdrawals from the county treasury pool and potential changes to county investment policy. 

County fire districts have utilized the county treasurer both for treasury operations and for investment. However, the Lake County Fire Protection District Board of Directors approved on August 20 to withdraw from the county’s treasury pool to pursue independent investments, while still seeking to use some county treasurer services. 

“While we recently have had a district leave the pool entirely, this is the first we have encountered a district attempting to stay partially in…” the staff report said. 

The partial participation creates instability for the pool, which is structured for all participants to share risks and rewards equally, according to the staff report. The county is now evaluating protective measures to safeguard schools and other agencies dependent on the pool. 

In the untimed items, the board will consider raising a Behavioral Health service contract from $25,000 to $375,000 — 15 times the original amount. 

The county entered into an agreement with Redwood Community Services Inc. on July 1, to operate the Phoenix House Crisis Residential Treatment Facility.  “Service demand has exceeded initial projections, requiring an increase in contract funding,” the staff report said. 

Despite overseeing tens of millions in service contracts, Behavioral Health has leaned on General Fund loans, citing cash flow challenges associated with Medi-Cal reimbursement. The board last week granted the department a nine-month extension on a $2 million loan in a 4-1 vote, with Sabatier opposed.

The full agenda follows. 

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt proclamation declaring September 26, 2025, as Native American Day in Lake County.

5.2: Adopt proclamation declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Lake County.

5.3: Approve second amendment of agreement between the County of Lake and 4LEAF Inc. to extend term to October 1, 2027, and increase compensation by $60,000, for a total compensation not to exceed $200,000, for building permit processing and inspection services, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.4: Adopt resolution setting rate of pay for election officers for the November 4, 2025, statewide special election.

5.5: Adopt resolution to accept the funding in the agreement between the County of Lake and the California Housing and Community Development Department.

TIMED ITEMS

6.1, 9:02 a.m.: Public input.

6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the week.

6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation declaring September 26, 2025, as Native American Day in Lake County.

6.4, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Lake County.

6.5, 9:15 a.m.: UCCE Water and Climate Advisor Program update – Dr. Laura Garza Díaz.

6.6, 9:30 a.m.: Hearing, consideration of request for hearing regarding code enforcement abatement activity at 6782 and 6792 Marin Street, Nice (APNs 031-173-38 & 41); property owner and appellant: Jessica Northcutt.

6.7, 10 a.m.: Hearing, consideration of request for hearing regarding code enforcement activity at 7180 Dodge Road, Nice (APN 032-091-18); property owner: Diana Anglero.

6.7(b), 10:15 a.m.: Addendum, consideration of support in the amount of $26,000 for the Lake County Economic Development Corporation and $34,000 for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce.

6.8, 10:30 a.m.: Presentation from Lake County Watershed Protection District/Water Resources staff on the 2025 Clear Lake Hitch Community Science Spawner Observation Program – summary and outcomes.

6.9, 11 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of the final recommended budget for fiscal year 2025-26 for the County of Lake and special districts governed by the Board of Supervisors.

6.10, 1 p.m.: Consideration of request for board direction regarding establishment of ad hoc committee for development of agriculture road standards.

6.11, 1:30 p.m.: Consideration of Western Region Town Hall presentation to the Lake County Board of Supervisors.

6.12, 2 p.m.: Public hearing, consideration of an ordinance on the processing of commercial cannabis cultivation permits within the unincorporated area of the County of Lake.

6.13, 2:30 p.m.: Consideration of impacts resulting from recent and pending withdrawals from county treasury pool and potential changes to county investment policy.

NON-TIMED ITEMS

7.1, Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.

7.2, Consideration of response to the 2024-25 Lake County Civil Grand Jury final report.

7.3, Consideration of approval of Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the County of Lake and Redwood Community Services, Inc. Phoenix House Crisis Residential Treatment Facility for fiscal year 2025-26.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1, Conference with legal counsel, significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(2), (e)(1), one potential case.

Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..