How to resolve AdBlock issue? Lakeport Police, Public Works staff abate lakeside transient camp
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Friday Lakeport Police officers and Public Works staff removed a transient camp along the shore of Clear Lake.
Since Oct. 19, Lakeport Police officers have been investigating the circumstances of a multiple site transient camp, spread across approximately 75 yards, off a vacant private lake side parcel in the 2200 block of Lakeshore Boulevard, according to Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Although the land was private, the areas where multiple separate campsites were constructed was believed to be below the high water mark of Clear Lake and within the public trust doctrine, an easement that exists on the shore zone of non-tidal navigable lakes and rivers in California, Rasmussen said.
He said that easement area is, reserved to the people of the state of California for purposes of navigation, commerce, fishing, recreation, and/or retention in its natural condition. However state or local law does not authorize a person to trespass on the private lands of another to access the easement.
During the course of the investigation, Rasmussen said officers learned that persons occupying the camps believed that they were on state property below the high water mark and had a legal right to be camped there.
Officers also interviewed the private landowner and determined that he did not authorize any persons to occupy or use his land or to construct camps on it and he requested that trespassing laws be enforced, Rasmussen said.
The Lakeport Police officers talked with several persons occupying the camp and worked with them to attempt to gain their cooperation in cleaning up and vacating the area, according to Rasmussen.
On Tuesday, Lakeport Police officers posted the area for trespassing and violation of the city of Lakeport Municipal Code against camping on vacant lots without sanitary or garbage facilities, Rasmussen said.
“We also gave notice to occupants giving them 48 hours to clean up any trash and remove their belongings,” said Rasmussen.
Then, on Friday, Rasmussen said two Lakeport Police officers and eight Lakeport Public Works staff members entered the camp and abated it, removing a total of 940 pounds of garbage and contaminated debris. The vast majority of the debris was found from between 5 and 30 feet from the water’s edge of Clear Lake.
“At the time of our entry into the camp, we found that it was abandoned,” said Rasmussen. “It is our belief that the occupants had left the area to avoid arrest or citation.”
He said one individual did return and contact city officials, and they were able to confirm that he had cleaned up his area before their arrival.
On Friday, Rasmussen said the camp site had been the source of complaints and safety concerns from residents in at least two adjacent neighborhoods over the previous 10 days.
He said his agency requested that the landowner post the area regarding trespassing as soon as possible.
The investigation into the site remains ongoing and Rasmussen said as many as five additional individuals may face arrest and/or prosecution for misdemeanor crimes including trespassing, camping on vacant lots, illegal dumping, destroying natural resources or other environmental violations.
“We are concerned about the safety of our citizens and the quality of life in our city and will continue to work with all persons to carry out our mission of reducing crime and providing the best safety we can,” he said. “Further, we will continue to aggressively enforce all laws affecting the quality of life and safety of our community.”
Rasmussen added, “We also understand that the homeless and transient issue is a larger issue within our community, the county and state and wish to remain involved in working with the community to solve those issues.”
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Man convicted of July 2015 bank robbery sentenced in federal court
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A former New York resident has been sentenced to federal prison for a July 2015 armed bank robbery in Clearlake.
Samuel T. Campbell, 26, was sentenced in San Francisco on Friday to 70 months in prison, five years' supervised release and the requirement that he pay restitution of $3,000 to Clearlake's Bank of the West, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
Authorities said Campbell and his girlfriend, Antoinette Calabria of New York state, robbed the bank at gunpoint on July 8, 2015, taking more than $3,000.
Joseph said Clearlake Police officers and detectives who responded to the reported robbery collected evidence and statements, with the evidence ultimately leading to the identification of Campbell and Calabria.
Clearlake Police's investigators later requested the assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Joseph said.
The work of Clearlake Police Officer Joseph Myers and the FBI led to locating and arresting Campbell in Flint, Mich., on Oct. 20, 2015.
Court filings showed that on Oct. 29, 2015, a federal grand jury issued an indictment against Campbell, who in May reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to the bank robbery.
A sentencing memorandum issued by the US Attorney's Office a week ahead of Campbell's Friday court appearance said he has “a significant and escalating criminal history,” with most of the crimes committed in his former home state of New York before he moved to California.
In June, Calabria was charged with conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery and pleaded guilty to the charge in July as part of a plea agreement.
Calabria is set to be sentenced on Jan. 13. Court filings so far have not indicated a possible sentence.
Joseph said the Clearlake Police Department wanted to formally thank the FBI for its assistance in identifying the bank robbery suspects and helping to bring them to justice.
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Police arrest Clearlake man for domestic violence, drugs and weapons charges
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man who is a convicted felon was arrested on Tuesday afternoon on numerous charges after he was found to be in possession of drugs and weapons during an investigation into a domestic violence report.
Police arrested 40-year-old Clarence Albert Hall in the case, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
On Tuesday at 9 a.m., Clearlake Police officers responded to a report of a disturbance in the area of the 15700 block of 37th Avenue, Joseph said.
When the first officer arrived, Joseph said it was discovered that the male suspect – identified as Hall – had already fled the scene.
The female victim – whose name was withheld – reported several incidents of domestic violence over the course of the last two weeks with some incidents involving a firearm. Joseph said the woman still had injuries consistent with her claims.
Hall is currently on Post Release Community Supervision, referred to as PRCS, and is a convicted felon, Joseph said.
Joseph said the victim stated Hall had likely fled to a known address located in the 4200 block of Crandall Avenue.
While the investigation was still under way, several officers went to the address on Crandall Avenue and learned from a resident that Hall was inside. Joseph said officers contacted Hall inside the home and were able to take him into custody without incident.
Joseph said that while on scene officers conducted a PRCS search of the room where Hall was found.
Persons who are on PRCS are subject to searches by peace officers with or without a warrant at anytime of the day or night. Joseph said these PRCS searches cover them, the person’s residence, any vehicle under their care and/or control, and any place the person is found or has access too.
Joseph said that during a PRCS search of the room where Hall was found, officers located a loaded handgun, a replica firearm, approximately 20 grams of suspected methamphetamine, more than a pound of processed marijuana in two different bags and two digital scales.
Hall ultimately was charged with felonies including domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, terrorist threats, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of a controlled substance for sale and being armed with a firearm during the commission of a felony, and misdemeanors for exhibiting a replica firearm and a violation of PRCS, according to Joseph.
Joseph said Hall later was booked into the Lake County Jail. Jail records showed he was being held on a no-bail hold because of the PRCS violation.
The case will be referred to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for charges, Joseph said.
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Police arrest one woman, seek a second in Rite Aid robbery case
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested one woman and continue to search for another in connection to a Friday robbery at the Clearlake Rite Aid.
Clearlake resident Samantha Elizabeth Sandhoff, 36, was arrested on Friday while police are attempting to locate a second suspect, 51-year-old Clearlake resident Sheri Lynn Ellars, according to Det. Ryan Peterson of the Clearlake Police Department.
Just before 1:30 p.m. Friday Clearlake Police officers responded to Rite Aid at 15025 Olympic Drive for a report of a robbery, Peterson said.
On their arrival, officers contacted store employees who told them that a female, identified as Ellars, had just stolen items from the store, according to Peterson.
Peterson said Ellars exited the store with the store employees following her and telling her to return the merchandise to the store. Ellars did not comply and got into a van that was being driven by another female, who was later identified as Sandhoff.
The store employees reported that the rear window to the van was missing and they could clearly see Sandhoff and Ellars. Peterson said the employees continued to yell at Ellars while Sandhoff looked back at the employees and began backing the van.
Peterson said Sandhoff continued backing the van while looking at the store employees, striking one of the employees who had to jump away from the van to prevent being completely run over. Sandhoff then drove the van at a high rate of speed out of the Rite Aid parking lot with Ellars inside.
Evidence collected at the scene clearly showed Sandhoff looking at the employee who was struck by the van as she was backing the van, Peterson said.
Sandhoff later contacted the Clearlake Police Department to report she was at her residence which is located in the 13700 block of Arrowhead Road, Peterson said.
Officer Jared Nixon contacted and interviewed Sandhoff, who Peterson said admitted to being the driver of the van during the incident.
Peterson said Sandhoff denied any involvement in the theft or the fact that she had struck the employee with the van. She said she did not know about the theft until after she had left Rite Aid with Ellars.
Based on the investigation, Peterson said Nixon placed Sandhoff under arrest for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy.
She asked officers to collect her purse to go with her. Peterson said Nixon searched Sandhoff’s purse, locating numerous controlled substance paraphernalia and numerous prescription dosage units of Trazadone.
Peterson said Sandhoff told Nixon she did not have a prescription for the dosage units, and Nixon additionally charged Sandhoff for the violations of possession of controlled substance paraphernalia and the illegal possession of prescription medication.
Sandhoff was booked into the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $150,000. She is tentatively scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday and remained in custody early Tuesday morning, according to jail records.
Peterson said Ellars is being sought by the Clearlake Police Department in connection to this investigation.
Ellars is described as a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes, standing 5 feet tall and weighing 120 pounds.
Anyone with information in regard to the whereabouts of Sheri Ellars or information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Officer Nixon at 707-994-8251.
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Scam alert: Police warn of fake checks being mailed to residents
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department reported that a scam is circulating locally that uses fake checks to steal money.
The agency said that a fake check mailed to a Lakeport resident this week appeared to come from CVS.
Bank information as well as details about CVS on the check are accurate, and it has security features. However, the check is no good, according to police.
Police said the check comes with a legitimate-looking survey for CVS that advises the recipient that they will earn $685 for depositing the check in their account, completing the survey and submitting it, with another $2,000 in gift cards promised.
If someone does this they find out a week later that they have lost the $2,000, police said. If the check is photocopied, it shows as void.
“These scams continue because some people fall for them and the thieves continue to make money. Be alert and stay safe and contact us at anytime about scams,” the agency said in a statement.
Contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491 or message it on Facebook.
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