How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Lakeport Police logs: Saturday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
00:00 EXTRA PATROL 2601100001
Occurred at Lake County Law Library on 3D....
Cases against suspected Valley fire looters move through courts
LAKEPORT, Calif. – As work to fully contain the Valley fire winds down authorities are continuing their efforts to investigate crimes that occurred in areas evacuated due to the fire.
District Attorney Don Anderson is personally handling the felony cases that have arisen so far in connection to the Valley fire, with one of his deputy district attorneys, Danny Flesch, taking on the related misdemeanors.
While Anderson said no criminal cases involving looting emerged from the Rocky and Jerusalem fires, several such cases have come from the Valley fire, during which there were numerous reports of burglaries of evacuated homes.
So far, Anderson has been to court on cases involving Jeremiah Patrick McGinnis, 25, of Cobb; Dyami Gene Connell, 23, of Brisbane; Michael James Jimenez, 28, of Brisbane; and 23-year-old David Michael Cesari of San Francisco.
Connell, Jimenez and Cesari were arrested on Sept. 17 near Hidden Valley Lake, as Lake County News has reported.
Cesari was found with a loaded .40-caliber pistol and magazine hidden in his clothing, with the vehicle the men were in also containing a full face concealing mask, three pairs of gloves, tools, duct tape, zip ties, numerous key rings with keys, acetone, lighter, headlamps, flashlights, binoculars, empty plastic bags, empty garbage bags, backpack and large knives, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Anderson said the men appeared in court on Sept. 22, and are set for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 2.
He said has charged all three with conspiracy.
Additionally, Anderson said Cesari is charged with having a concealed firearm in his possession, having a concealed firearm in a vehicle, having a loaded firearm in a vehicle, possession of burglary tools and unauthorized entry in a disaster area, while Connell and Jimenez are both charged with possession burglary tools and unauthorized entry in a disaster area.
McGinnis, who appeared in court on Sept. 29, was arrested in Loch Lomond after being found in a vehicle stolen from Lower Lake, the sheriff's office said.
He admitted to having painted the stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee in an attempt to make it look like a law enforcement vehicle, authorities said.
The sheriff's office said a deputy found in the Jeep a box of live ammunition, a flat screen television, a DVD player, an air rifle, an air pistol and a drill, all of which were believed to have been stolen, along with a box of spray paint, a crate filled with aerosol can solvents and a box of matches.
Anderson said McGinnis has two alleged victims. He's charged McGinnis with burglary to a house and burglary to a shed for one victim, and burglary to a detached garage and theft of the vehicle for the second victim.
McGinnis also faces charges for being a felon in possession of ammunition, felony vandalism, unauthorized entry into a disaster area and possession of burglary tools. Anderson said McGinnis is due to be back in court Oct. 6.
Anderson said he has asked the sheriff's office to do additional investigative work on the case of 26-year-old Royce Sterling Moore of Lakeport, arrested early on the morning of Sept. 15 after he was found trying to access Cobb from the Kelseyville area.
Deputies found Moore with gloves, a black bandanna, a BB gun and a backpack that contained pliers, channel locks and a cordless drill with a grinder wheel attachment, along with a methamphetamine smoking pipe, the sheriff's office reported.
So far, the case against Moore looks like it may be a misdemeanor, Anderson said.
Another case that Anderson said may be handled as a misdemeanor is that of Whispering Pines resident Steven Fredrick Worley, 36, who was arrested on Sept. 14 in Cobb after he led a deputy on a short vehicle pursuit.
The sheriff's office said the deputy found in Worley's vehicle six cellular telephones, a portable Wi-Fi hotspot device, an Apple iPod, a wallet which contained identification belonging to someone other than Worley, a safe and an envelope which contained 13 shaped obsidian points.
Anderson said he is waiting to find out what the sheriff's office found in the safe as, depending on the value, that would determine whether Worley was charged with a misdemeanor or felony.
Regarding reports of other forms of crime related to the Valley fire, Anderson said he also has heard about possible price gouging cases, but so far – after local law enforcement has looked into them – none have ended up being submitted to his office.
He said if any such cases are submitted, his office will go after the perpetrators.
As the community moves into the recovery and rebuilding phases, “I anticipate getting a lot of unlicensed contractors or people impersonating contractors, things such as that,” said Anderson.
He added, “We'll be all over them.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Police arrest Santa Rosa man following motorcycle pursuit
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Santa Rosa man who led police on a motorcycle chase on Wednesday has been arrested on a number of charges, including evading and possession of drugs and a weapon.
Aaron Daniel Lain, 33, was arrested Wednesday evening, according to a report from Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department.
At about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday Hobbs and Officer Matthew Huot were on patrol in the Clearlake Park area when they observed a 1999 Yamaha motorcycle – ridden by Lain – run the stop sign at Eighth and Bush streets at approximately 50 miles per hour.
Hobbs said Huot, who was driving the police vehicle, activated his emergency lights and siren and caught up to the motorcycle on Eighth Street to conduct a traffic stop on it.
Lain failed to pull over his motorcycle but slowed down as he was traveling north on Eighth Street. Hobbs said Lain reached into his rear waistband, removed a loaded revolver and threw it on the side of the road.
Hobbs said Lain then accelerated to a high rate of speed and continued north on Eighth Street, leading the officers on a pursuit for several blocks before turning onto a dead end private driveway.
Lain was arrested as he attempted to get off the motorcycle, Hobbs said.
Lain was found to be on active California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parole for residential burglary, Hobbs said.
The officers found Lain in possession of approximately half an ounce of methamphetamine, Hobbs said.
He said the officers went back to the location where the firearm had been discarded and located it just off the roadway edge near several young juveniles who were playing.
Hobbs said Lain was booked into the Lake County Jail for felony evading in a vehicle, resisting arrest, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, felon in possession of a loaded concealed firearm, armed in the commission of a felony, felony child endangerment, possession of methamphetamine for sales, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, driving with a suspended driver's license and violation of parole.
Jail records show that Lain's bail was set at $75,000. He's tentatively scheduled to appear in court on Friday for arraignment.
Clearlake Police Department reactivates Community Policing Project
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A program to foster community relationships with the Clearlake Police Department is being reactivated.
The Community Policing Project, initially introduced in 2012 and suspended after a six- to eight-month run due to reduced staffing, will return over the coming weeks, the agency said this week.
Staffing is approaching levels to make a return to the Community Policing Project viable, according to Lt. Tim Celli.
“We feel the reimplementation of this project should be a priority,” Celli said.
It has been an uphill struggle, according to Celli, who said that finding, hiring and training qualified officers has taken longer than hoped.
The idea behind the community policing effort is to further develop partnerships between officers and community members and to develop strategies to reduce crime.
A group of four sergeants will be assigned as project managers to four designated quadrants of the city, offering community members a sounding board to express their concerns and an opportunity to work with officers to develop plans for solving problems in their areas.
Reflecting on the successes of the earlier Community Policing Program effort, Celli drew examples of how the program can provide for the community.
“Apartment managers met with officers who helped them establish a Neighborhood Watch program for their apartment complex,” said Celli.“We also had officers respond to a business owner. Vagrants were hanging out in a structure of a nearby park causing problems for his business. Our officers coordinated with the Public Works department to remove the structure. The owner was happy with the response. We also had an officer set up a graffiti removal program at that time as well.”
Community Policing project managers will be initiating community gatherings in the near future to introduce themselves and the programs goals, Celli said.
A map of the city – shown above – has been segmented into four project areas:
– Area 1, North: Focuses on the city north of Olympic Drive including Clearlake Park and will be served by Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
– Area 2, West: Covers central Clearlake between Olympic Drive and Lakeshore and west of Highway 53. It will be served by Sgt. Tim Hobbs.
– Area 3, East: centers on the city east of Highway 53 and north of 18th Avenue. Sgt. Travis Lenz will serve these citizens.
– Area 4, South: encompasses the city west of Highway 53 and south of Lakeshore drive and 18th Avenue. It includes the Walmart shopping area and surrounding residences. This area will be served by Sgt. Dominic Ramirez.
Reporting of crimes and general policing questions should still be directed to the department’s main number at 707-994-8251. Emergency calls should always be directed to 911.
“This new program should not be perceived as a new way of reporting crime or seeking information about a crime that has been reported,” said Celli.
Information about the Community Policing Program is available on the city of Clearlake Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us , including a map of the areas served by each sergeant and direct contact phone numbers.
Those without computer access can call the Clearlake Police Department's main number and request the number for the sergeant assigned to their area.
Police: Lakeport hit-and-run investigation continuing, some streets remain closed
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said Tuesday that the investigation into a hit-and-run crash that occurred earlier in the evening was set to continue late into the night.
At about 7 p.m. two bicyclists were hit in the area of Martin and Bevins streets by a 1990s model Nissan pickup – described as either silver or light gray in color – that fled the scene after the crash, police said.
The pickup – which sustained front grill damage and a shattered front windshield – was last seen heading toward Highway 29, police said.
A more detailed description of the pickup wasn't immediately available Tuesday night, but police said the investigation is under way and more information will be released as soon as it becomes available.
Police said the pickup's driver is wanted for two counts of felony hit-and-run causing serious injury.
The investigation at the scene is expected to take several hours – possibly more – and during that time, Bevins Street from Bevins Court to Martin Street and Martin Street between Russell Street and Orchid Street will remained closed by Lakeport Public Works personnel, police said. Drivers are asked to avoid the area.
Police are asking the community to be on the lookout for the pickup. Anyone who has seen the vehicle or who has any information about the crash is asked to call the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.