How to resolve AdBlock issue? Clearlake Police Department investigates report of sexual assault
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department confirmed on Tuesday that it is investigating a report from last week regarding a woman who says she was raped, abducted and robbed.
Det. Ryan Peterson said police officers responded to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake at 6 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, for a report of an assault victim.
On their arrival, officers contacted the victim, whose name is not being released due to the confidential nature of the investigation, Peterson said.
Peterson said the Clearlake Police Department’s investigation unit was contacted and took over the investigation.
He said the victim reported that during the early morning hours of April 19 she was sleeping in her vehicle in the 15000 block of Lakeshore Drive.
She said she awoke to a male who was standing outside of her vehicle. Peterson said the woman described the subject as a black male adult in his 20s, wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt.
The woman told police that the male subject opened the door to her vehicle and sexually assaulted her. Peterson said the male then forced the victim into the trunk of her vehicle and drove her to a remote area north of the city of Clearlake.
There, the male forced the victim out of the vehicle and again sexually assaulted her, Peterson said.
After the assault the male ordered the female to walk away and he got into her vehicle and drove away, stealing her vehicle. Peterson said the victim began walking and was contacted by a passing vehicle which drove her to the hospital.
Peterson said the victim’s vehicle later was located abandoned in the 9500 block of Highway 20 in Glenhaven.
As of Tuesday, Peterson said the Clearlake Police Department’s investigation unit is going over numerous pieces of evidence collected during the investigation and following up on leads.
He said there have been several persons of interest identified in the investigation at this time.
Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the investigation, Peterson said no further information will be provided at this time so as not to impede or hinder the integrity of the investigation.
“The Clearlake Police Department believes this to be an isolated incident at this time,” Peterson said of the case.
Anyone with information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Det. Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Garamendi holds senior center conversation, visits dialysis patients, meets with Clearlake Police
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Thursday, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA3), who represents half of Lake County, held a district work day in in the county focused on listening to constituents and assessing pressing public safety and health issues.
Senior center conversation
At the Live Oak Senior Center in Clearlake Oaks, Congressman Garamendi took questions from nearly 50 Lake County residents on a wide range of issues, including the future of Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, the impact of proposed budget cuts on Lake County, immigration and the growing climate of fear, the advantages of universal health care, campaign finance reform, concerns about the Administration’s ties to Russia, financial conflicts of interest within the administration, access to services for veterans, and affordable housing.
Video of the full conversation will be available at http://www.facebook.com/repgaramendi on Saturday.
Several attendees also asked how the general public can influence policy in Washington. The Congressman cited the proposed plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
“Yes, all the Democrats opposed the repeal of the ACA, but that’s not what defeated the bill,” the Congressman said. “It was thousands of people like you, across the country, calling and writing your representatives and making your opinion heard. When only 17 percent of the country supports repeal, that sends a powerful message to Congress. You have made a remarkable difference in public policy.”
At the senior center conversation, Garamendi’s district staff and several local resource providers were on hand to help seniors.
Meeting with Clearlake Police Department
After the senior center conversation, Garamendi traveled to Clearlake to meeting with the Clearlake Police Department, including Acting Chief Tim Celli.
They gave Garamendi an update on their efforts to combat the rise of hard drug labs in the community.
The police were also interested in hearing Garamendi’s perspective on how the department can acquire more federal grants, and how proposed cuts to Community Development Block and COPS grants could impact rural departments like Clearlake.
These grants provide departments with resources for community policing, training, and equipment purchases.
Garamendi offered his office as a resource to help the department seek grants, particularly grants from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Agriculture Rural Assistance Program.
“There’s no doubt that cuts being proposed by the Administration to the Community Development Block and COPS grants would directly harm public safety in rural communities like Clearlake,” Congressman Garamendi said. “I appreciate the update by Acting Chief Celli and his team, and I’ll bring their concerns back to Washington.”
DaVita Dialysis Center visit
Following the Clearlake Police Department meeting, Garamendi met with patients and medical professionals at the DaVita Dialysis Center in Clearlake.
He heard their perspectives on dialysis treatment and offered a friendly ear as they discussed their concerns with happenings in Washington. Many were too ill to attend a public forum like the senior center conversation.
Garamendi then spoke with their doctors about the needs of dialysis centers, ways the Affordable Care Act has helped dialysis patients, and their concerns with the proposed plan to repeal the ACA.
They urged Garamendi to support H.R. 5942, the Dialysis Patient Access to Integrated-care, Empowerment, Nephrologists, Treatment, and Services Demonstration Act of 2016, which would establish a pilot program to study an integrated care model for Medicare beneficiaries requiring dialysis.
Upon the conclusion of the meeting, Garamendi asked his staff in Washington to add him as a cosponsor.
“We can improve the care we give to dialysis patients. All of us have a stake in this battle, because kidney disease can strike anyone at any time. It was important for me to hear the concerns of doctors and patients at the dialysis center. I am urging my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring H.R. 5942,” Garamendi said.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit arrests one, seizes drugs and firearms
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The service of two search warrants by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit last week resulted in the seizure of heroin, cocaine, firearms and 1,400 marijuana plants, and one arrest.
Arrested in the case was 27-year-old Ricardo Gregorio Pelayo, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
On the morning of Friday, April 14, the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant in the 3000 block of Buckeye Street in Clearlake, Brooks said.
Brooks said two subjects were detained at the premises, which led to the arrest of Pelayo.
During a search of the property, detectives located five firearms, including an AK-47 assault rifle with a high capacity ammunition magazine filled with live rounds, Brooks said.
Additionally, Brooks said detectives seized approximately one ounce of heroin, prepackaged cocaine, and bulk ammunition.
Later, on the afternoon of April 14, the Narcotics Unit served another search warrant in the 16000 block of Rose Street in Lower Lake, Brooks said. No one was located at the premises.
During the search it was determined the entire residence had been converted into a commercial indoor marijuana growing operation, Brooks said.
An outdoor grow site containing more marijuana plants was located near the residence. In total, 1,400 marijuana plants were seized during the investigation, according to Brooks.
Pelayo was booked on felony charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, committing a felony while armed with a firearm, participating in a criminal street gang, possession or purchase for sale of narcotics and possession of a controlled substance while armed, according to his booking sheet.
His bail was set at $50,000. Jail records showed that he has since posted the required percentage of bail and been released.
Brooks said the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit will continue its efforts to eradicate narcotics from the communities of Lake County and seize the suspected profits of drug trafficking for asset forfeiture whenever possible.
Anyone with information that can assist the Narcotics Unit with this effort is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Officials warn of threatening scam calls spoofing sheriff’s office phone numbers
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – County officials are urging community members to be on guard after reports this week of Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s phone numbers being spoofed in scam phone calls.
Lt. Steve Brooks said the Lake County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center received a couple of calls on Monday from members of the public who said they received threatening telephone calls from the sheriff’s office.
One of the calls came from a local business, which reported that they had received a telephone call from someone asking about a loan and requesting payment. The caller identification showed it was from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Brooks said.
Another call came from a citizen who advised a subject presenting himself as a member of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, said he owed money to “Advanced America” and tried to force him to pay or be arrested, Brooks said.
Brooks said the caller identification came back to a different number from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The citizen called Advanced America and they confirmed he did not owe any money.
Central Dispatch confirmed with AT&T that both of the telephone numbers which came up on the caller identification were issued to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, according to Brooks.
Brooks said AT&T advised that there was not a way to prevent criminals from “spoofing” another person’s telephone number. "Spoofing" occurs when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.
Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally, Brooks said. Additional information concerning spoofing may be found on the Internet.
Brooks said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office will never contact a citizen demanding money with the threat of arrest.
Never provide personal information to someone over the telephone, without first checking to make sure the individual or the company is legitimate, Brooks said.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lakeport Police sergeant uses art skills to solve cases
LAKEPORT, Calif. – In a world of computer programs, cell phones and digital cameras, police work can still get its biggest boost from the time-tested techniques of sketch artists.
In Lake County, there is one certified composite artist working in law enforcement – Sgt. Joe Eastham of the Lakeport Police Department.
Eastham has been with the Lakeport Police Department for six years. Last month, he was promoted to sergeant.
He said he’s been drawing since childhood. In college, he took some drawing classes, and since then said he has continued to draw avidly.
Eastham also pursues other creative arts, such as wood carving. Among his creations is a large wooden Lakeport Police badge in the department’s lobby.
He said a sheriff’s deputy encouraged him to put his artistry to work for law enforcement. Eastham said he took that advice, found a class and put in a request with Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen to take the course.
“He was all for it,” Eastham said of Rasmussen.
Rasmussen immediately saw the value in having one of his department’s members trained in those skills.
“It’s not a real common thing, especially for small agencies,” said Rasmussen, who heads a department with 14 sworn officers.
Eastham began producing sketches fairly quickly after taking his initial coursework, doing a few in 2012.
Since then, he estimated that he’s completed two to three sketches a year on local cases in an effort to identify individuals sought for serious crimes, from stabbings to attempted kidnappings. One of his sketches led to the apprehension of a robbery suspect.
Despite the prevalence of cell phones and cameras, composite drawing remains a robust and important area of study. Eastham said digital technology still has not reached the point where it can supplant pencil on paper.
Eastham said his first composite sketch drawing class in 2012 taught him a lot about how to draw faces realistically. He said the most impressive part of the training was the interviewing process necessary to drawing a person from someone else’s memory.
In that interview process, he focuses on having the witness describe facial features and also use photographs from “Steinberg’s Facial Identification Catalog” – a spiral-bound book of different faces with prominent features used as samples – to pick out similar eyes, noses, mouths, chins and hair.
The drawings he produces are called “composite” sketches because they put together the different parts of the face separately, he said.
When he’s interviewing witnesses, the eyes and mouth are among the most prominent features in a person’s memory, Eastham said.
He said he’s not necessarily looking for a photograph-like image when he’s done with a sketch, but almost more like a caricature that would remind people of someone by emphasizing prominent features.
As an example, he said an armed robbery suspect was taken into custody not because of an exact match in the sketch, but because a person who knew the man recognized a feature in the drawing and tipped off police, leading to an investigation that resulted in an arrest.
Eastham believes the old-fashioned, tried-and-true method of pencil on paper still provides the best results – even over computer drawing. “The human interaction with the graphite and the paper is superior because of the imperfection.”
Over the years, many agencies have used flip books to help witnesses describe suspects in crimes, a practice that Eastham said has worked but is not as successful as using composite sketches.
It takes Eastham one to two hours to complete a sketch, depending on how many changes the witness wants to make.
He’s remarkably fast at his work, and was able to produce a sample composite sketch, including the interview and some initial changes, in just 19 minutes.
The interviewing process helps identify if a story has been made up, and a few times he said he’s been able to discern that a story was fabricated.
Eastham said they’ve had a lot of positive reactions when the sketches are released. He said it’s an aspect that people have come to expect from good police work.
“People tend to be impressed with the artwork as well, which is nice,” he said.
Eastham added, “I like the fact that people can see that an effort is being made with some of the best training that’s out there in this field to solve these cases. That’s the best part of it for me.”
Since 2012, Eastham has completed four 40-hour courses in composite drawing and is now a certified composite artist.
He also has advanced training in drawing from surveillance video and drawing from profiles, as well as aging and methamphetamine-related progressions.
Eastham is working toward a certificate as a forensic artist. That will allow him to do two-dimensional and three-dimensional facial reconstructions, such as those used for cold cases. He said that work is very hands-on and uses clay modeling.
The classes require he attend in person, which he said has given him the chance to meet people from all over the United States, both those in law enforcement and those who otherwise do such work for a living.
“That’s been great fun,” he said, adding that he’s met a lot of awesome people.
Aside from his work on sketches for active cases, Eastham keeps up his drawing practice. He recently worked on a sketch of the profile of a man whose image was captured on a surveillance video and who is believed to be connected to a murder in another part of California.
He also has his wife go through magazines and pick out a face, then he interviews her and draws the face from her description.
In addition to doing the sketches for Lakeport Police, Eastham has created them for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Ukiah Police Department.
The Lakeport Police Department is making Eastham’s abilities available to other law enforcement agencies around the region.
“There are not very many trained composite artists on the North Coast,” Eastham said.
Rasmussen invites agencies to contact him at the Lakeport Police Department if Eastham’s skills can help them on cases.
“We’ve available and willing to assist other law enforcement agencies with this resource when they need it,” Rasmussen said.
The Lakeport Police Department can be reached at 707-263-5491, or via its Web site at http://www.lakeportpolice.org/ or Facebook page.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
