CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Several arrests resulted on Friday from a sweep conducted in Clearlake by police and probation officers.

The Clearlake Police Department and the Lake County Probation conducted the special enforcement operations focusing on individuals on Post Release Community Supervision, or PRCS, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs.

Hobbs said that during the operation officers went to four locations that were preselected from a list of individuals on PRCS probation.

As a result of this operation, 33-year-old Casey Crow, who was on probation, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of methamphetamine for sales and possession of drug paraphernalia, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said the following five individuals who are not on PRCS also were arrested:

– Amber Williams, 35, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of methamphetamine for sales.

– Benjamen Rodriguez, 19, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of methamphetamine for sales.

– Kelsey Saunders, 26, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Saunders was released on a citation. Later in the operation, Kelsey Saunders was again contacted by officers at a different location and found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested and released on a citation.

– Michael Ehrlich, 43, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Ehrlich was released on a citation.

– Randy Powers, 65, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Powers was released on a citation.

After conducting the probation searches officers conducted several hours of traffic stops and pedestrian checks, Hobbs said.

During this time Hobbs said numerous probationers were contacted and found to be in compliance with the terms and conditions of their probation.

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services is encouraging residents to prepare for disasters and emergencies.

Based on what has occurred so far this year, authorities expect it to be an active year for fires, and now is the time to take action to prepare for evacuations.

Lt. Steve Brooks said the direction to “leave early” cannot be emphasized enough. If you think a wildland fire may be a threat to you or your property, do not wait for an evacuation order to leave.

The sheriff’s office will issue shelter-in-place, voluntary and mandatory evacuation notices via the CityWatch telenotification system, Nixle and local media, Brooks said. If time and safety permit, emergency personnel may be used in small areas to make announcements.

If you do not have a wireline phone through AT&T, you will need to sign up for CityWatch via the sheriff’s Web site, http://www.lakesheriff.com . You can also sign up for Nixle alerts via the sheriff’s Web page.

Brooks said the sheriff’s office also has the capability to use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, or IPAWS, which sends a wireless emergency alert to compliant cell phones within the warned area.

You can check to see if your cell phone is capable of receiving WEA messages at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/111479 . You do not need to sign up to receive WEA Messages.

In some events, you will be directed to shelter in place. In case of fire, close your windows, doors and air intake systems to prevent smoke from entering your home or business. Attempting to leave may place you in harm’s way from either the hazard or responding equipment, Brooks said.

Brooks said a voluntary evacuation is issued when authorities estimate the hazard to be at least six hours away. This is the time to prepare to leave, and to leave if you have small children, animals or limited mobility persons in your care. If you do not have the resources to evacuate, this also gives you time to request assistance.

A mandatory evacuation is issued when authorities estimate that the hazard is two hours or less from impacting you, Brooks said.

In such cases, Brooks said it is time to leave immediately. Emergency resources may already be in the area. During a mandatory evacuation, the evacuated area will be closed to all but emergency personnel until the danger has passed.

If you wait to leave until 30 minutes or less before the hazard affects you, emergency personnel will consider that a response to you will be a rescue, and each case will be evaluated with the safety of emergency personnel in mind, according to Brooks.

If you are instructed to leave, Brooks said you will be directed to a shelter or assembly point where further assistance will be available.

When an evacuation order is issued, it is imperative that you comply with the order, Brooks said. Firefighters are placed at a higher risk when performing structure protection, and protecting residents during evacuations under extreme conditions compounds the issue.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Fire Chiefs Association and Lake County Animal Care and Control Office all encourage residents to take time now to prepare.

For further information, contact the following agencies:

– Lake County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services: 707-263-3450.
– Lakeport Fire: 707-263-4396.
– Kelseyville Fire: 707-279-4268.
– Southlake County Fire: 707-987-3089.
– Lake County Fire: 707-994-2170.
– Northshore Fire: 707-274-3100.
– United States Forest Service: 707-275-2561.
– Cal Fire: http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Get-Set/ .
– Lake County Animal Care and Control: 707-263-0278.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – As part of its ongoing effort to deal with illegal commercial marijuana grows, the Clearlake Police Department on Thursday eradicated 237 plants and arrested two men.

The agency reported that 20-year-old Aurelio Alcaraz and 77-year-old David Tovar were taken into custody during the service of a search warrant.

On Thursday officers executed a search warrant in the 3500 block of Madrone Street at a property that police said contained approximately 100 large budding marijuana plants. The residence was empty of furnishings and appeared the property was being used for the sole purpose of marijuana production.

During the search warrant service officers located evidence at the scene that indicated the plants had been freshly watered and heard noises consistent with a subject jumping over a fence, police said.

When officers looked over the fence, at the north end of the property, they noted the property to the north contained another large-scale marijuana grow which had not been seen during the initial investigation, according to the report.

Officers walked over to the adjoining property and contacted two Hispanic males at the front gate of the property who were identified as Alcaraz and Tovar, police said.

Alcaraz advised there was possibly two other subjects on his property which he identified as his neighbors. Police said Alcaraz stated the neighbors had advised him of the presence of police as they were fleeing from the adjoining marijuana grow. Officer were unable to locate the fleeing subjects.

Police said Alcaraz stated he was from Los Angeles and had come to Clearlake to grow marijuana for profit with Tovar as a worker.

Alcaraz and Tovar were arrested for unlawful cultivation of marijuana and marijuana for sale. Police said the property was secured and a search warrant was obtained and executed on Alcaraz's property.

Jail records showed that both remained in custody early Friday, with bail for each set at $15,000.

Officers eradicated approximately 100 marijuana plants from the first location and 137 marijuana plants from the second location. There was an overall total plant weight of approximately 1,700 pounds of plant material seized for destruction, according to police.

The Clearlake Police Department said it will continue to investigate commercial marijuana grows in the city of Clearlake.

Police said efforts on commercial grows should not be confused with the medical marijuana permit process and enforcement that involves code enforcement.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to call Det. Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 315.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department has welcomed another new officer.

Officer Mark Steele began work on Monday.

Steele, 31, grew up in the Santa Rosa area and attended Windsor High School.

He isn't new to working as a first responder. The job he just left was as a paramedic at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The position with the Lakeport Police Department is his first in law enforcement.

“I wanted to help people in a different way,” Steele said of his decision to become a police officer.

He said he appreciated the opportunity to work in a small community like Lakeport.

Steele is in a weeklong orientation, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

Next week, Steele will begin a 14-week training period during which he will be accompanied by a field training officer, Rasmussen said. Once that training is complete, Steele will begin working on his own.

At the start of the city of Lakeport's National Night Out block party on Tuesday, Steele was sworn in, with Rasmussen administering the oath.

Steele's cousin, a Mendocino County Sheriff's deputy, was on hand to pin Steele's badge on him.

Steele is the latest of several new hires to fill out the department's ranks.

Officer Victor Rico started in May and Joseph Medici started work in June. Two officer trainees who were hired earlier this year, Dale Hoskins and Andrew Welter, are due to graduate from the police academy later this month.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances that led to the death of a woman whose remains were discovered on Tuesday.

The remains of the 84-year-old woman were found in the Clear Lake Rivieras area, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

Brooks said a man was out for a walk in a field near his home while playing Pokemon Go when he discovered the woman's body. The man returned home and contacted law enforcement.

Deputies responded to the location and called for assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Brooks said.

Lake County Sheriff’s detectives did not observe any immediate signs of trauma when examining the remains, according to Brooks.

An investigation is under way to determine the woman's cause of death. Brooks said the full results are pending an official cause of death from a forensic pathologist. 

Brooks said Wednesday that the woman's name is being withheld at this stage of the investigation.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is gathering leads in its investigation into a Monday afternoon indecent exposure case, and is asking for the community's help.

Chief Brad Rasmussen said that at approximately 2:45 p.m. Monday his officers were dispatched to the Willow Tree Shopping Center on 11th Street to investigate the report of a male subject exposing himself.  

He said the officers immediately responded to the area and were unable to locate the suspect. 

The officers contacted the victim, a 63-year-old female, and learned that as she was arriving at Safeway she noticed that a male subject, who was driving a cream-colored Lexus, appeared to be following her, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said the victim entered Safeway and was inside for approximately one hour. When she returned to her vehicle, she noticed that the male was parked next to her vehicle and that he was looking at her. She then noticed that the male subject was exposing his private parts while looking at her. 

The victim left the area and immediately contacted police, Rasmussen said.

The victim described the male subject as having a dark complexion. He had short dark hair and was balding. Rasmussen said the victim also provided a partial license plate number for the Lexus which is JT656. 

“We are asking that anyone who may have seen this subject in the area today or who may be familiar with the vehicle and suspect to contact us with information,” Rasmussen said.

Contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491, by sending a private Facebook message to the agency on its page @LakeportPolice or by anonymously sending a message from your cellular telephone by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777.