Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office issued a statement shortly after 7 p.m. Friday in which he said the agency is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the source of death threats and malicious radio interference recently transmitted on the sheriff’s primary radio frequency over the July 4 weekend that were aimed at Sheriff Frank Rivero.
The issues with a series of of strange transmissions on law enforcement frequencies actually predate the July 4 weekend, beginning in the spring.
In late March Lake County News began receiving reports from community members who monitor Red-Net, the primary frequency for local fire agencies, that over a period of just under a week an unidentified person or group was broadcasting what was characterized as extreme and graphic language over the airwaves a few times daily.
At that time, Bauman confirmed to Lake County News that it was happening in a “very random” way.
“There are extreme difficulties to investigating because it entails a lot of high tech radio equipment,” and required triangulation, Bauman said in March.
He said the agency was familiar with what was necessary to track down the issues “because we've tried before.”
As quickly as the transmissions had begun, they stopped, with local officials not reporting any more issues.
However, a new transmission that occurred on the night of Sunday, July 3, has raised the concerns all over again.
At approximately 10:05 p.m. Sunday, July 3, radio communications between the Lake County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center and patrol deputies working in the field was suddenly interrupted by over 10 minutes of radio interference on the sheriff’s primary frequency, according to Bauman.
He said the interference came at a time of peak activity during the busiest shift of the day and disrupted public safety operations as sheriff’s personnel were handling calls for service during the holiday weekend.
That same night, within minutes of the transmission, Lake County News received communications from two separate community members who reported hearing an unidentified individual come over the radio and say, “Watch your back, Rivero, you're gonna get shot.”
One of the reporting parties said someone came on the scanner to tell the individual that he was being tracked and he was going to go to prison for the statements. None of those who reported hearing the incident recognized the voice, which they said sounded disguised.
The reporters then said the frequency appeared to be jammed, with static coming over the frequency. The transmission could not be heard on the Lake County News scanners, which are programmed with local law enforcement scanner frequencies.
Early on the morning of July 6, Lake County News submitted a request to Bauman for information on the threats, which he did not answer directly. The press statement came out on Friday.
The statement from Bauman noted, “While the source of the interference is unknown at this time, the radio transmissions were clearly malicious and intentional. Not only did the interference disrupt sheriff’s operations and compromise the safety of sheriff’s deputies trying to serve the public, but the person(s) responsible for the interference also transmitted death threats and inflammatory remarks personally directed at Sheriff Rivero.”
Bauman confirmed in the Friday report that, among other statements made by the suspect, the words, “Watch your back Rivero, you’re going to get shot,” allegedly were transmitted across the radio.
The threats allegedly against Rivero's life made on July 3 aren't the first, according to Bauman's Friday statement.
“Since taking office in January of this year, Sheriff Rivero’s radio communications have been routinely and intentionally 'covered' by unknown suspects transmitting over his transmissions while he was working in the field,” Bauman said in the statement. “There have also been past derogatory remarks and death threats directed toward the sheriff since he has taken office.”
Bauman said the sheriff’s office is currently investigating the source and identity of the person or persons responsible for the radio interference and threats directed toward Rivero.
He said the agency also is requesting the Federal Bureau of Investigation's assistance.
Bauman said that anyone with information that would aid the sheriff's office in identifying those responsible for the malicious radio transmissions is encouraged to call the Lake County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit at 707-262-4200.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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