How to resolve AdBlock issue? Police make 16 arrests as result of special enforcement operation
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A multiagency law enforcement operation in the city of Clearlake this week resulted in 16 arrests.
On Friday, the Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Probation and the Lakeport Police Department conducted the special enforcement operation in Clearlake that focused on individuals on Post Release Community Supervision, or PRCS, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs.
During the operation officers went to five locations that were preselected from a list of individuals on PRCS probation, Hobbs said.
As a result of this operation, Hobbs said the following four individuals on probation were arrested:
– David Cox, 34, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance and violation of probation. The probation violation was for being under the influence and for having items that were prohibited by the gang clause of his probation.
– Curtis Fleming, 52, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of probation. Due to preexisting medical issues Fleming was released at St. Helena Hospital.
– Scott Wade, 54, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for felony possession of methamphetamine and violation of probation. The possession of methamphetamine was a felony charge due to Wade being a registered sex offender.
– Justin Krumsiek, 26, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance and violation of probation.
The following 12 individuals who are not on PRCS were also arrested, Hobbs said:
– Jason Tate, 46, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of heroin for sale, possession of methamphetamine for sales, possession of psilocybin mushrooms for sales, possession of an unlawful weapon, felon in possession of ammunition and a outstanding warrant for possession of heroin for sales. Tate was found in possession of three-quarters of an ounce of heroin,one-quarter ounce of methamphetamine, more than 50 psilocybin mushrooms, a digital scale and packaging material.
– Mickey Mantle, 39, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of methamphetamine for sales and possession of drug paraphernalia.
– Robert Hankins, 70, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
– Bruce Brown, 43, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being a felon in possession of pepper spray.
– Casey Long, 22, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
– William Rowe, 35, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
– Amber Saldana, 37, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
– Randy Powers, 65, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
– John Krumsiek, 55, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of drug paraphernalia.
– Franklin Reed, 38, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for a outstanding warrant and driving on a suspended driver's license.
– Steven McGee, 53, was arrested for outstanding warrants. Due to preexisting medical issues McGee was released at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
– Jamie Brackett, 28, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The Clearlake Police Department thanks Lake County Probation and the Lakeport Police Department for helping to ensure this operation was successful.
Anyone with information regarding individuals on Post Release Community Supervision who are violating the terms of their probation in Clearlake can contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Police arrest two men for suspected commercial marijuana grow
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – With new rules for marijuana cultivation now in place in the city of Clearlake, police said Thursday they have arrested two people for commercial marijuana cultivation.
The city's new cultivation ordinance, which went into effect March 13, specifically prohibits commercial cultivation operations.
Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli said that on Thursday officers arrested Gambio Garcia and Samuel Beltran for violating that new ordinance.
At about 9 a.m. Thursday Clearlake Police officers were alerted to what appeared to be a commercial marijuana growing operation in the 6000 block of Vallejo Avenue, which is in a secluded location with a heavy wooded area surrounding the property, Celli said.
He said officers arrived on scene and could see a large plastic covered area commonly referred to as a “hoop house.” A hoop house is used to grow plants and, in this case, was used to grow marijuana.
The hoop house was inside a large wooden fenced area that was not yet completed that encompassed at least two lot parcels. Celli said officers could see inside the structure and saw a marijuana grow with more than 100 marijuana plants.
In addition, Celli said there were makeshift alarm devices at various locations around the area to alert of intruders. Other areas surrounding the marijuana grow were set up as obvious lookout points.
These observations and other information led the officers to determine that the grow site was for commercial profit. At the time, there were no subjects located on or around the immediate area, Celli said.
Celli said an officer assigned to the Clearlake Police Department Investigation Unit authored a search warrant. While that process was under way, an officer who was maintaining security at the location observed a truck pull up to the property and leave rapidly while backing out of the location unsafely.
It was believed that the subjects left rapidly after seeing the police officer at the location. Due to the secluded location and the individuals' behavior, the officer suspected that the vehicle was involved with the property, Celli said.
The officer made a traffic stop on the vehicle for a vehicle code violation and contacted the occupants, who provided names of Gambio Garcia and Samuel Beltran. Neither man has been positively identified at this time, Celli said.
He said the men were unable to provide proper identification and the driver was unlicensed. Both subsequently were arrested.
There was evidence inside the vehicle that linked the men to the marijuana growing operation and the property. Both men were additionally charged with the cultivation of marijuana and were later booked in the Lake County Jail, Celli said.
A search warrant was signed for the structure and property. As a result of the search of the marijuana grow, Celli said 116 marijuana plants were seized.
Celli said the Clearlake Police Department has no interest in legal medicinal marijuana grows that are in compliance with the city ordinance.
“We do, however, highly recommend any citizen desiring to grow medicinal marijuana follow the permit process or risk code violations and civil penalties through Code Enforcement,” he said.
The Clearlake Police Department is reminding citizens that the new ordinance that is in effect requires individuals to apply for a permit to grow medicinal marijuana in the city of Clearlake.
Information on the permit process can be located at the city of Clearlake Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us or at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Additionally, Celli said marijuana ordinance information has been disbursed to local businesses that deal with medicinal marijuana, such as the dispensaries and business involved in hydroponics. This ordinance will be enforced by the Code Enforcement Department.
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Clearlake Police officer credited with saving four people from burning home; man arrested for setting blaze, attempted murder
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake Police officer is being hailed as a hero after his quick action early Wednesday morning saved four people from a house fire, including the man who police say intentionally set the blaze.
Officer Trevor Franklin is credited with saving the lives while risking his own, according to police and fire officials.
Police also arrested the man believed responsible for setting the fire to his family's home – 50-year-old Troy Milton Burnett of Clearlake, authorities said.
Sgt. Travis Lenz said officers were dispatched to the 15900 block of 39th Avenue at approximately 1:14 a.m. Wednesday due to a female caller reporting that Burnett – her brother – was acting strange but not violent. She asked officers to come to the scene and speak with him.
During the officers’ response to the residence, dispatch received a 911 call at approximately 1:19 a.m. reporting that there was a structure fire in the area of 39th Avenue and Phillips Avenue, Lenz said.
Franklin was the first on scene, arriving seven minutes after the original call came in. When he got on scene, he discovered the residence was fully engulfed in flames, Lenz said.
Lenz said Franklin found Troy Burnett on the residence's front porch, which also was on fire. Franklin removed Burnett from the porch and escorted him to the roadway and to safety.
While firefighters were still en route, Franklin found out there were more people inside the home. Lenz said Franklin ran around to the rear of the residence because the front was engulfed in flames, and found an open sliding glass door.
In the home's backyard, Franklin encountered a woman who was identified as Burnett’s sister. At the same time, an 80-year-old man was attempting to get out of the house through the sliding glass door but having issues doing so, Lenz said.
Lenz said at that point the whole house was on fire, but Franklin risked his safety to help the man – who later was identified as Burnett's father – safely get out of the residence.
Burnett's father told Franklin that his 77-year-old wife, Burnett’s stepmother, was still trapped inside the burning building, according to Lenz's report.
Lenz said Franklin found the woman lying on the floor just inside the sliding glass door. Because of her age and physical condition, she was unable to stand, so Franklin picked her up and carried her to safety.
Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta said the stick-built home was fully engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived on scene minutes after dispatch.
He said Lake County Fire was assisted with mutual aid by Cal Fire and Northshore Fire.
Resources on scene included a total of four engines, one water tender, two medic units and two chief officers, Sapeta said.
The fire was contained shortly after 2:30 a.m., with firefighters remaining on scene for mop up and an investigation. Sapeta said firefighters cleared the scene at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The structure was a total loss, and the fire also damaged power lines. Sapeta said Pacific Gas and Electric had to replace two stands of damaged wires on Wednesday morning.
Lenz said that, based on statements police obtained from Burnett and all of the victims on scene, it was determined that, prior to Franklin's arrival, Burnett's stepmother and father were in bed asleep when he entered their bedroom and began striking his parents in the head and body with a shovel.
Burnett struck his stepmother with such force with the shovel that it knocked her from the bed to the floor, Lenz said.
Lenz said Burnett’s father was able to take the shovel from Burnett, but not before he sustained moderate injuries to his head and body.
Burnett exited the room and returned moments later with a plastic item which was on fire, throwing the item on his stepmother, who was still on the floor, Lenz said. The woman sustained apparent burns to her hands from extinguishing the burning plastic which was on her body.
Lenz said Burnett then exited his parents' bedroom and gathered numerous clothing items and piled them in the hallway, which obstructed his family’s path of travel to the front door of the residence.
After covering them with an unknown liquid accelerant, Burnett lit the clothing items on fire. A short time later officers arrived on scene, Lenz said.
Lake County Fire Protection District Station 70 paramedics medically treated Burnett’s father, stepmother and sister, transporting his father and sister to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for medical treatment, authorities said.
Due to the amount of fire personnel needed to combat the house fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby residences, Lenz said Clearlake Police officers transported Burnett’s stepmother to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for medical treatment as well.
Lenz said Burnett was placed under arrest for attempted homicide and arson of an inhabited structure. After medical clearance, Burnett was transported and booked into the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $200,000, according to booking records.
Lenz said Franklin suffered from smoke inhalation. He was treated at the hospital and released.
Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli said later on Wednesday that Franklin was OK after the ordeal.
Had Franklin not been there and taken the action he did, Sapeta said the outcome could have been far different – with Burnett's father and stepmother dying in the fire.
“He's definitely a hero,” Sapeta said of Franklin, who he added did “a phenomenal job.”
Franklin, a 2007 graduate of Middletown High School, has been with the Clearlake Police Department for about three years, joining the agency after graduating from the police academy in December 2012.
Anyone with information regarding the fire is requested to contact Clearlake Police Department Det. Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 315.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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Police investigate early morning Clearlake shooting
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is investigating an early morning shooting incident that led to an arrest in connection to drug sales and weapons possession.
Sgt. Martin Snyder said that at 2:50 a.m. Wednesday officers were dispatched to the 3100 block of Sixth Street on a report of shots fired.
Officers arrived on scene and, in front of the residence, contacted a male adult who was identified as 23-year-old Clearlake resident Shane Valencia, Snyder said.
Valencia advised officers on scene that he heard his dog barking, at which point he armed himself with a handgun and exited the residence onto the front porch, according to Snyder.
Snyder said Valencia was confronted by three masked subjects who were possibly males. One of the subjects began shooting an unknown handgun at Valencia, who returned fire with his handgun at the subject.
The three subjects fled the scene, leaving in a lifted white Chevrolet pickup, Snyder said.
Due to the nature of the call, Snyder said officers conducted a protective sweep of the residence for injured persons or the subjects.
When officers conducted a sweep of the residence officers witnessed several firearms, controlled substances and indications of drug sales, Snyder said.
Paramedics with the Lake County Fire Protection District arrived on scene to treat Valencia's injuries, which Snyder said were minor. Valencia refused medical treatment for his minor injury.
Snyder said Valencia was taken into custody for the possession of a controlled substance for sale and being armed while in the commission of a felony.
The scene was secured and detectives with the Clearlake Police Department Investigation unit were called out to obtain a search warrant for the property. Once a search warrant was obtained the scene was processed for evidence, Snyder said.
During the investigation, Snyder said numerous firearms, ammunition, suspected methamphetamine, marijuana and prescribed medications were recovered, along with other items of evidence of narcotics sales.
Afterwards, Snyder said Valencia was transported and booked into the Lake County Jail for the above listed charges.
The scene was released later that day after processing was completed, Snyder said.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.
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Sheriff's office to distribute weather radios to Valley fire survivors March 31
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office said it will issue NOAA weather radios in Middletown on Thursday, March 31.
The distribution will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Middletown Senior Center/Middletown Library, located at 21256 Washington St.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office/County Office of Emergency Services received grant funding from State Farm Insurance Co. to purchase approximately 333 of the Midland WR120 desktop weather alert radios, as Lake County News has reported.
The agency also purchased approximately 40 visual alert-strobe lights that will be given out with some of the Midland WR120 desktop weather alert radios for those residents who have hearing difficulties.
The following criteria were established in order for individuals to be eligible for the aforementioned equipment:
– Must currently be residing in the footprint of the Valley fire;
– Must provide proof of residency by showing either a valid California Driver’s License or California Identification Card that lists the physical address; or,
– Utility bill such as a water, phone cable and Pacific Gas and Electric that has the service (home) address listed;
– Post office box addresses are insufficient and will not be accepted as proof of residency.
Depending on the turnout and how many radios are left after March 31, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office/County Office of Emergency Services reported that it may schedule additional dates and times until all of the radios are issued.
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