How to resolve AdBlock issue? Police arrest suspect in commercial marijuana grow, seize nearly 1,300 plants
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – In the latest in a series of operations targeting illegal commercial marijuana grows, the Clearlake Police Department said one suspect was arrested and almost 1,300 plants were seized and eradicated on Thursday.
Police arrested a man who identified himself as 53-year-old Jose Antonio Chabolla Munoz of Clearlake for his involvement in the sales and commercial cultivation of marijuana, according to Lt. Tim Celli, the department's acting chief.
The man was booked under the name Antonio Chabolla after no record of him was found under the name he gave to authorities, Celli said.
Celli said that Chabolla was taken into custody shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday when Clearlake Police officers served a search warrant in the 3500 block of Locust Avenue at the home where he and his family live.
When officers initially arrived they gave numerous announcements of their presence, demanded entry into the residence and the surrounding buildings, but received no answer, Celli said.
Cell said the officers subsequently forced open the doors of the residence as well as a garage that had been converted into living quarters.
Inside the garage living quarters, an adult female – whose name Celli said is being withheld because she was not charged with a crime – was located inside with her small child.
The woman apparently didn’t unlock the door or contact the police when commanded to do so because she was calling her father, Chabolla, who was at work at a local restaurant, according to Celli's report.
Celli said the officers did not locate anyone else at the property. However, a short time later, a woman identified as Chabolla’s wife and Chabolla himself showed up at the residence in two separate vehicles.
During the service of the search warrant, officers located and seized approximately 1,272 marijuana plants from the backyard of the residence. Celli said some of the plants were planted in the ground, however, many of the plants were still in pots, appearing as though they would be moved to another location.
Also seized during the search warrants were several false identifications including several Social Security cards and a passport, all belonging to Chabolla in various names with different Social Security numbers, Celli said.
Celli said several thousand dollars in cash also was seized and is pending judicial asset forfeiture proceedings.
Officers located evidence to suggest sales of marijuana, including information collected that suggested large sale transactions upwards of $50,000. Celli said scales and packaging were located along with approximately 8.5 pounds of processed marijuana.
During a subsequent interview of Chabolla, he took responsibility of the marijuana located at the residence. In addition, he admitted that he has been involved in sales, cultivation and also brokering marijuana deals for a several years, according to Celli.
Celli said Chabolla was arrested and later booked into the Lake County Jail pending proper identification, with bail set at $15,000.
Charges against him, according to booking records, included felony charges of marijuana cultivation, possession of marijuana for sale and forging an official seal.
No record for Chabolla under the name he gave to police – Jose Antonio Chabolla Munoz – was located during a Livescan fingerprint check and he was eventually bailed from the Lake County Jail under the name Antonio Chabolla, Celli said.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to call Det. Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 315.
Celli said the Clearlake Police Department will continue to investigate commercial marijuana grows in the city, with subjects who are involved in or renting property to growing operations subject to prosecution for felony crimes as well as environmental crimes.
Under city ordinance, commercial growing of marijuana is not allowed and Celli said the laws pertaining to cultivation, sales transportation or furnishing will be assertively enforced.
He said these operations should not be confused with the medical marijuana permit process and enforcement that involves Clearlake Code Enforcement.
Information of the medical marijuana permit process can be found on line at the city of Clearlake Web site, http://clearlake.ca.us/ .
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Police issue report on Thursday marijuana grow eradication in Clearlake
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Thursday Clearlake Police officers eradicated another commercial marijuana grow.
Lt. Tim Celli, the agency's acting chief, said that at 8:30 a.m. Thursday officers served a search warrant at a residence in the 3500 block of Maple Street.
After the service of the search warrant, approximately 341 marijuana plants in two separate “hoop houses” were seized, he said.
Celli said no one was located at the residence at the time of the search warrant service, however, investigators have identified a potential suspect and the investigation is ongoing.
Complaints were received about this property several months ago and Code Enforcement was alerted to it, Celli said. At that time, a smaller marijuana grow was located on the property.
Celli said Code Enforcement contacted the owner of the property, who had apparently rented out the property and was not living at the address. After Code Enforcement contacted the owner to issue a notice of violation, voluntary compliance was received and the marijuana plants that were located on the property at that time were voluntarily abated.
Based on Thursday's investigation, investigators believe this marijuana grow was for commercial purposes. There were no indications that this marijuana grow was for medical purposes, Celli said.
Celli said information was discovered at the location that connected this property to another recently eradicated commercial marijuana grow located on Manchester Avenue.
Anyone with information regarding this marijuana grow or a grow site that is connected to this location is encouraged to call Det. Mark Barnes at 707-994-8251, Extension 310.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Police officers seek information on stabbing at Lakeport Safeway
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is seeking information regarding a stabbing that occurred on Tuesday night at Safeway.
At approximately 8:06 p.m. Tuesday Lakeport Police officers were dispatched to Safeway to investigate the report of a stabbing, the agency reported.
Upon arrival an officer located a crime scene on the north front and side of Safeway. Police said the officer then learned that an unknown person had picked up the male stabbing victim, who is in his 20s, and transported him to Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
The scene was secured pending further investigation, which remains ongoing, according to police.
Investigators believe that the victim was stabbed by several subjects who are currently unidentified, police said.
Lakeport Police investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident – as well as the person who dropped the victim off at Safeway at about 8 p.m. and the person who transported the victim to the hospital – to please contact them at 707-263-5491, by private message to Lakeport Police's Facebook page or by texting TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Bomb threat at Lake County courthouse
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A bomb threat forced the evacuation of the county courthouse Monday morning as courthouse workers began their day.
At approximately 7:40 AM, Monday, May 2, 2016, the Lake County jail received a phone call claiming that a bomb was set to detonate on the 4thfloor of the Lake County Courthouse located in Lakeport, California at 8:30 AM this morning.
Central Dispatch was immediately notified and contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lakeport Police Department, Lakeport Fire District and County of Lake Public Services department. Officers and staff of those agencies immediately responded and began a floor by floor search of the facility.
At approximately 7:45 AM employees of the State of California Courts and employees of the County of Lake, who share the Courthouse facility, were given notice to leave the building immediately. As other employees arrived to start the work week, they were directed to stage on the lawn of the Courthouse Museum Park.
Nothing suspicious was found during the search of the Courthouse. Law enforcement gave the okay for employees to return to work at approximately 8:35 AM.
This matter is currently under investigation.
Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin says, “I sincerely appreciated the support the Sheriff’s Office received from the Lakeport Police Department, Lakeport Fire Protection District and the Lake County Public Services Department in conducting a search of the courthouse building and surrounds grounds. I also wanted to thank all of the County employees and residents for their cooperation in evacuating the building. The safety of Lake County residents is always a top priority for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.”
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown adds, ““The County appreciates the fast multiple agency response in searching the Courthouse which allowed County staff to get back to work as quickly as possible.”
Lake County Sheriff’s Office will be investigating the threat. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.
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- Written by: John Jensen
Clearlake Police K9 helps apprehend Sonoma County man after vehicle pursuit
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Sonoma County man who led a police officer on a high speed chase on a stolen motorcycle was taken into custody thanks to the work of a Clearlake Police K9.
Vincent Lee Hassenzahl, 28, of Santa Rosa was arrested late Thursday night, according to a report from Sgt. Travis Lenz.
At approximately 10:15 p.m. Thursday Officer Travis Parson and his K9 partner “Bear” were conducting routine patrol within the city when Parson observed a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle, occupied by a male driver and female passenger, traveling at a high rate of speed, as it turned off Old Highway 53 onto Ball Park Avenue, Lenz said.
Lenz said Officer Parson initiated a traffic enforcement stop on the motorcycle, which had been reported stolen to the Lake County Sheriff's Office in January.
The male driver, identified as Hassenzahl, failed to yield and accelerated to an even greater unsafe speed, as he attempted to evade Parson, according to Lenz's report.
Once on Lakeshore Drive, Hassenzahl traveled into the oncoming lane of traffic numerous times to pass vehicles ahead of him in his lane that were traveling the posted speed limit, Lenz said.
Lenz said Hassenzahl drove off Lakeshore Drive onto Pomo Road, proceeding northbound. At the intersection of Pomo Road and Arrowhead Road, Hassenzahl failed to stop at the posted stop sign, traveling through the intersection and onto Acacia Street.
Hassenzahl attempted to complete a left turn onto Sonoma Avenue, yet due to the speeds he was traveling at, was unable to do so, leaving the roadway edge before laying the motorcycle onto its side, Lenz said.
At that point, Lenz said Hassenzahl quickly got up and proceeded to run westbound on Sonoma Avenue.
Parson exited his police vehicle and deployed Bear, giving two police canine announcements, yelling at Hassenzahl to stop or he would be apprehended by the dog. Lenz said Hassenzahl did not comply with the officer's requests and kept running westbound.
Lenz said Parson deployed Bear toward Hassenzahl, with the dog giving chase and apprehending Hassenzahl after a brief foot pursuit.
Hassenzahl briefly struggled with the canine, pushing at the dog’s body with his hands as he tried to roll away from the dog’s grasp and escape. Hassenzahl’s attempt to escape the canine was futile and Officer Parson was able to detain him in handcuffs, placing him under arrest, Lenz said.
Hassenzahl has prior arrests for weapon-related offenses, resisting arrest, possession of narcotics for the purpose of sales and is a convicted felon, according to Lenz.
After being medically evaluated at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for injuries sustained as a result of being apprehended by the police canine, Hassenzahl was booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of evading a police officer while driving in wanton and willful disregard for public safety, evading a police officer while traveling in the wrong direction of traffic, resisting arrest, possession of stolen property, possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and outstanding warrants out of the Sonoma County, Lenz said.
Hassenzahl remained in custody on Saturday, with his bail set at $150,000 for the warrants, according to jail records. He is tentatively scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
Lenz said the female passenger sustained no injuries during the incident. After being questioned, she was released from the scene with no criminal charges.
The Clearlake Police Department expressed its gratitude to the community for the continued support and financial contributions to the Clearlake Police Canine Unit. Without the continued support from the community, the canine unit – which is solely funded by donations – would be nonexistent.
The Clearlake Police Department was again able to utilize a police canine to apprehend a fleeing fugitive, which aided in keeping the citizens of Clearlake as well as the involved police officers safe, Lenz said.
Anyone with information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Officer Parson at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251, Extension 543.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
