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Lakeport Police logs: Saturday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
00:00 EXTRA PATROL 2601100001
Occurred at Lake County Law Library on 3D....
Police arrest Clearlake man wanted in forged checks case
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man police had sought in connection to a case involving stolen and forged checks has been arrested.
John Leroy Clemons, 43, was arrested without incident at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to Detective Sgt. Nick Bennett of the Clearlake Police Department.
Clearlake Police detectives identified Clemons as the person who had deposited forged checks – which had gone missing from a Petaluma residence – into a Clearlake bank, as Lake County News has reported.
Police served a search warrant at his residence on Tuesday, seizing a handgun and ammunition – which Clemons, a convicted felon, is not permitted to possess – and two potentially dangerous dogs, Bennett said.
Bennett said Clemons was not present during the search warrant service but called the police department while it was going on and refused to come to the police department to speak with officers.
At the same time as he signed the search warrant, a Lake County Superior Court judge had signed an arrest warrant for Clemons on two charges of felony forgery, Bennett said.
The bail on the arrest warrant originally had been set at $15,000, Bennett said.
However, due to Clemons' extensive criminal history and additional pending criminal cases which will be forwarded to the District Attorney, when he was booked his bail was enhanced to $150,000, according to Bennett.
Clemons' booking sheet showed that he was booked on counts including a misdemeanor charge of possession, purchase or use of a Tazer by a convicted felon, and felony charges of evading a peace officer, evading a peace officer with disregard for public safety, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a leaded cane or billy club and receiving known stolen property.
Police volunteer arrested for alleged contact with minor for sex
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport Police Department volunteer has been arrested for allegedly contacting a minor for sex.
Larry Weldon Howerton, 69, of Lakeport was arrested on Tuesday by Det. Dale Stoebe for the felony crime of contact with a minor to commit a sexual offense, according to a report from the Lakeport Police Department.
Howerton was transported to the Lake County Jail where he was booked, the agency said.
His bail was set at $15,000. He remained in custody early Wednesday morning, according to his booking sheet.
Howerton joined the Lakeport Police Department's volunteer force at the start of 2014, according to Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said Howerton had previous experience with law enforcement, having worked in the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office volunteer program.
The Lakeport Police Department authored a search warrant which was served at Howerton's residence for the purpose of seeking evidence of the crime, police said.
Howerton was immediately terminated from his position with the police department, according to the Lakeport Police report.
Rasmussen said the investigation is ongoing, with no further information available at this time.
The police department thanked the Lake County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation and Victim/Witness Divisions for their assistance with the investigation.
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Police investigate case involving stolen, forged checks; suspect sought
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An arrest warrant has been issued for a Clearlake man who police detectives have identified as the suspect in a check theft and forgery case.
John Clemons, 43, is being sought in the case, according to Detective Sgt. Nick Bennett of the Clearlake Police Department.
In June the Clearlake Police Department was contacted by the Petaluma Police Department with regard to an investigation of stolen funds, according to Bennett.
Bennett said the funds were stolen by way of checks missing from a residence in Petaluma and deposited into a bank in Clearlake.
The investigation was assigned to Det. Mark Barnes, who contacted Petaluma Police Department, the victim of the stolen funds and the bank in which the stolen and forged checks were deposited, Bennett said.
Bennett said Barnes identified the person who deposited the forged checks into the bank as Clemons.
Based on the evidence obtained by Barnes and Det. Ryan Peterson, police sought and obtained from a Lake County Superior Court judge a search warrant for Clemons' residence as well as a warrant for his arrest for two counts of felony forgery. Bennett said the bail on the arrest warrant was set at $15,000.
On Tuesday Clearlake Police officers and detectives served the search warrant at Clemons' residence, Bennett said.
During the execution of the search warrant, a handgun and ammunition were seized. Bennett said the presence of those items in the residence occupied by Clemons is unlawful due to his status as a convicted felon.
Additionally, other ammunition not matching the weapon was located in the residence and is concerning to the department in that there is a possibility Clemons may be armed, Bennett said.
Bennett said additional charges will be sought against Clemons through the District Attorney's Office in reference to the weapons that police seized from the home on Tuesday.
Two canines also were seized pursuant to an additional search warrant for two “potentially dangerous” dogs that Bennett said Clemons has been concealing from Clearlake Animal Control.
Clemons was not present at the time the search warrant was served at his residence, Bennett said.
Bennett said Clemons called the police department while the warrant was being served but declined to come down and discuss the case with officers.
Anyone with information concerning this case is encouraged to contact Det. Barnes at 707-994-8251, Extension 311.
Sheriff's office identifies female inmate who died at Lake County Jail
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Authorities are continuing their investigation into the death of a female inmate who died at the Lake County Jail on Sunday.
The female inmate who died was identified as Elizabeth Dara Gaunt, 56, of Santa Rosa, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Gaunt, who was alone in a holding cell, was found unresponsive on Sunday afternoon by correctional staff during a routine cell check, Brooks said.
Brooks said correctional and medical staff were unable to revive her.
Both the Lake County District Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office are conducting investigations into the death, Brooks said.