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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities said Thursday that a Lake County Code Enforcement officer has been arrested in a case involving bribery, extortion and grand theft.
Antonio Chavez Anguiano, 36, of Clearlake, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon.
He was booked into the Hill Road Correctional Facility on felony charges of extortion, soliciting/accepting a bribe and grand theft, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana for sale, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Chavez Anguiano, whose jail booking sheet listed him as a Code Enforcement employee, remained in custody on Thursday pending a bail source hearing, the sheriff’s office said.
He is due to appear in court for arraignment on Friday, based on jail records.
In a statement released Thursday morning, Community Development Director Mireya Turner, whose department includes Code Enforcement, said the Community Development Department recently received notification of illegal activity allegedly engaged in by a staff member.
“We immediately notified the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and provided all relevant information,” Turner said, adding that Chavez Anguiano was arrested on Wednesday for felony bribery charges following “an urgent and thorough investigation.”
Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Lauren Berlinn confirmed in a Thursday afternoon statement that the Community Development Department notified the sheriff's office “of illegal activity allegedly engaged in by a member of their staff.”
Berlinn said sheriff’s deputies began an investigation and executed a search warrant at Chavez Anguiano’s residence, recovering approximately $19,000 in cash and 35 pounds of processed marijuana, which led to his Wednesday arrest.
Berlinn told Lake County News that the sheriff’s office had at least two prior contacts with Chavez Anguiano going back to the early 2000s.
Lake County Superior Court records four traffic infraction cases between August 2010 and June 2023 that appear to have involved Chavez Anguiano.
“Public trust is a privilege that must be protected, and there are no higher priorities to Community Development leadership than the integrity of our staff and ethical conduct of our work. All appropriate protocols have and will continue to be followed in response to this occurrence. We do not tolerate illegal activity of any kind, and will fully support law enforcement’s efforts to bring justice in this unfortunate situation. The diligence of Lake County Sheriff’s Office personnel, and their support in reviewing and investigating this matter, are greatly appreciated,” Turner said in her Thursday morning statement.
Among other responsibilities, Code Enforcement has been tasked with enforcing the county’s cannabis rules and regulations and ensuring compliance by permitted growers.
So far, county officials have not answered questions about whether this case specifically involved cannabis growers in the county’s program, with the seizure of the processed marijuana suggesting a connection.
Turner said no further public comment would be provided at this time, and Berlinn also would not discuss further details of the case due to the ongoing investigation.
Transparent California, a pay and pension database of public employees in California, shows Chavez Anguiano as having worked as a Lake County Code Enforcement officer in both 2022 and 2023, with total pay and benefits ranging from $60,667.59 in the first year — which may have been a partial year — and $78,645.11 in the second year.
Chavez Anguiano is not the first Code Enforcement or Community Development employee to be arrested in a high profile criminal case.
Between 2008 and 2015, three employees were arrested on charges ranging from marijuana possession and sales, carrying loaded firearms in public, child cruelty and leading Lakeport Police on a high speed motorcycle chase.
Those arrests took place before Turner’s tenure, which began Aug. 31, 2022.
Berlinn said the sheriff’s office is continuing to work closely with Community Development “to ensure all appropriate protocols are met.”
This investigation is still ongoing, Berlinn said, and anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Sgt. Dennis Keithly via email,
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Lucerne man has been ordered to stand trial for homicide in the death of a teenage girl authorities said overdosed on fentanyl he supplied to her.
Following a preliminary hearing last week, Judge J. David Markham ordered Joe Nathan Boggs Jr., 27, to stand trial for the Nov. 10 death of 17-year-old Illeanna Makena Frease.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson said Boggs is charged with second degree murder, under a theory of implied malice.
Boggs also is charged with possession for sale of a controlled substance, transportation of a controlled substance for sale and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor. An allegation of great bodily injury was dismissed.
Boggs has remained in custody since his June arrest, with bail remaining at $1 million.
More information continues to be developed in the case.
“It’s still considered an ongoing investigation,” said Det. Jeff Mora of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Mora said they are still encouraging people to come forward if they have information about the case.
Watson said there was a family relationship between Frease and Boggs, but the precise nature of it did not come out at the preliminary hearing.
Frease referred to Boggs as “uncle” and he called her “cousin,” and it’s believed they and other family members were living in the same home in Lucerne, Watson said.
Based on testimony at the preliminary hearing, Watson said Boggs supplied Frease with pills on Nov. 9 after she contacted him through Instagram to ask for them two days earlier. She is believed to have met up with other people to supply them with those pills the same day she received them from Boggs.
Then, early on Nov. 10, she contacted Boggs again seeking drugs, Watson said.
He met her and provided the drugs, and she returned home and was seen taking them. Watson said she died later that morning.
Boggs will return to court for arraignment on Aug. 6, at which time it’s expected that a future trial date may be set.
This is the first case involving charges for homicide for a fentanyl overdose.
However, it isn’t expected to be the last.
“Our Major Crimes Unit does intend on working backwards and locating other cases,” Mora said.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council will meet this week to discuss water issues and a potential ballot measure to support the city’s recreation department.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The agenda can be found here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 850 0257 6666, the pass code is 718587. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,85002576666#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.
On Thursday the council will receive a presentation by Gina Lyle-Griffin with the Health and Social Policy Institute on second and third-hand smoke and aerosol impacts on health in multi-unit housing.
On the agenda is a public hearing to consider adoption of Resolution 2024-33 authorizing the conversion of Pine Street to a one-way street.
Under council business, staff will ask the council for direction on water-related issues in the city.
The council also will discuss a potential ballot measure to support recreational activities. The brief staff report on the item explains that Vice Mayor Joyce Overton suggested at the July l18 meeting, and the council agreed, “to have an agenda item to discuss the possibility of a future ballot measure to support recreation programs in the City. This item will allow the Council to discuss the prospect and give direction to staff as appropriate.”
In other business, the council will discuss events at city facilities and consider designating a voting delegate and up to two alternates for the League of California Cities annual conference in October.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; minutes; authorization for an additional $250,000 in expenditures under the Downey Brand contract for a new total of $750,000; the second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 270-2024, amending Section 2-3.7 of Chapter 2 of the Clearlake Municipal Code regarding the position of city manager; approval of the amendment to professional services agreement with Lucy & Company for public relations and communication services, with the contract amendment for up to $187,500 over one year; approval of Resolution No. 2024-33, for the adjustment of the police lieutenant position salary range from range 64 to range 71.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The agenda can be found here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 850 0257 6666, the pass code is 718587. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,85002576666#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.
On Thursday the council will receive a presentation by Gina Lyle-Griffin with the Health and Social Policy Institute on second and third-hand smoke and aerosol impacts on health in multi-unit housing.
On the agenda is a public hearing to consider adoption of Resolution 2024-33 authorizing the conversion of Pine Street to a one-way street.
Under council business, staff will ask the council for direction on water-related issues in the city.
The council also will discuss a potential ballot measure to support recreational activities. The brief staff report on the item explains that Vice Mayor Joyce Overton suggested at the July l18 meeting, and the council agreed, “to have an agenda item to discuss the possibility of a future ballot measure to support recreation programs in the City. This item will allow the Council to discuss the prospect and give direction to staff as appropriate.”
In other business, the council will discuss events at city facilities and consider designating a voting delegate and up to two alternates for the League of California Cities annual conference in October.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; minutes; authorization for an additional $250,000 in expenditures under the Downey Brand contract for a new total of $750,000; the second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 270-2024, amending Section 2-3.7 of Chapter 2 of the Clearlake Municipal Code regarding the position of city manager; approval of the amendment to professional services agreement with Lucy & Company for public relations and communication services, with the contract amendment for up to $187,500 over one year; approval of Resolution No. 2024-33, for the adjustment of the police lieutenant position salary range from range 64 to range 71.
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As the Park Fire and other wildfires burn across California and force communities to evacuate, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to pass the Wyden-Smith tax proposal, which includes his bipartisan legislation to provide tax relief for wildfire survivors who have received compensation for the losses and damages they have suffered.
The tax bill previously passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.
Padilla’s Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act, co-led by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), would provide past and future wildfire survivors with the certainty that their settlement money will not be taxed.
The bill would support the nearly 70,000 victims of the three major fires in 2015, 2017 and 2018 who are receiving funds from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company Fire Victim Trust through a $13.5 billion wildfire settlement, as well as future recipients of other wildfire-related settlements.
Representatives Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.-01) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04) are leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Padilla’s remarks also emphasized his support for critical provisions in the tax proposal to support American families, such as restoring critical expansions to the child tax credit to lift an estimated 400,000 children above the poverty line and bringing back the 12.5 percent increase to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocation to help finance more affordable housing.
“I rise today in support of every parent across the country working multiple jobs to help put food on the table, parents who are now buying school supplies and clothes as their kids are preparing to go back to school, parents who are working hard just to afford basic child care,” Padills adi. “And I rise today for every constituent of mine wondering why Senate Republicans continue to block a bill that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House of Representatives.
“We know these policies can work. We know these policies have worked. We know that letting them expire has been detrimental to so many parents, so many children, and so many communities across the country. And we have today an opportunity to do right by them once again.
“When a fire victim is wading through the ashes of their former home, and thinking about how to rebuild, not just their homes, but their lives, the last thing that wildfire victims should have to worry about is how they’re going to pay taxes on any settlement they receive.
“Madam President, disaster settlement funds are not income. Disaster settlement funds are not assets. It’s compensation for what they’ve lost. And insufficient most of the time at that. But disaster settlement funds are also meant to be an opportunity to begin to rebuild your life, an opportunity that should not be diminished because our government tax codes are outdated.
“So I was proud to see that the Wyden-Smith tax package includes my bill, the Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Act. It would make sure the people who have suffered from a heartbreaking wildfire can receive full compensation for their losses, without the fear that their settlements will be subject to taxes.
“It’s a commonsense, bipartisan solution to protect Americans at arguably the most difficult point in their lives. And for that reason, along with the historic provisions included in the package to make life more affordable for working families, I urge my Republican colleagues to join me in supporting this bill,” he said.
Last Congress, Padilla joined the late Senator Dianne Feinstein in introducing a version of the Protect Innocent Victims Of Taxation After Fire Act designed to cover the Fire Victim Trust claimants.
This bill expands protections to anyone receiving wildfire-related disaster aid payments, including compensation for losses, expenses, or damages, such as compensation for additional living expenses, lost wages, personal injury, death, or emotional distress.
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