LAKEPORT, Calif. – A former sheriff’s deputy arrested in 2007 for having been sexually involved with a young teenage girl has reached a plea agreement in the case.

Derik Dion Navarro, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of felony unlawful intercourse with a child under age 16, according to California Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Becca MacLaren.

The plea agreement was reached on Wednesday, just as court records indicated Navarro’s jury trial was getting ready to begin.

When he is sentenced at 8:15 a.m. Jan. 9 in Lake County Superior Court’s Department Three, Navarro will face three months in the Lake County Jail and three years of formal probation, MacLaren said.

MacLaren said Navarro will not be required to register as a sex offender.

When he was first arrested in April 2007, Navarro was facing charges of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, sodomy and having sex with a minor under age 16, according to the initial law enforcement statements on the case.

It was alleged that Navarro had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl from May 2005 through May 2006. Officials said the alleged acts took place when Navarro was not on duty as a sheriff’s deputy.

In the early days of the case, the Lake County District Attorney’s Office pursued 18 felony counts and two misdemeanor counts against Navarro for his alleged involvement with the 14-year-old and another teenage girl, as Lake County News has reported. However, MacLaren said the plea only pertains to one of the alleged victims.

The case has seen numerous delays, with hearings and trials rescheduled several times over the last four and a half years, based on court records.

Navarro’s case originally had been prosecuted by the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

However, after District Attorney Don Anderson took office at the start of the year, it was handed over to the Attorney General’s Office because of a conflict of interest, as Lake County News reported in April.

Anderson told Lake County News this spring that the conflict arose because the Police Officers Research Association of California had appointed him to represent Navarro during an administrative hearing regarding his employment. Deputy Attorney General Dave Druliner handled the resolution of Navarro’s case.

Navarro worked for the Lake County Sheriff’s office from 2002 to 2007.

In a 2007 interview, then-Sheriff Rod Mitchell said his command staff received information in January 2007 that led to an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct on Navarro’s part. The same day as the information was received, Navarro was placed on administrative leave pending the investigation’s outcome.

“The matter was of such consequence that we asked Lake County District Attorney investigators to conduct a separate and independent criminal investigation,” Mitchell said at the time.

Following a lengthy District Attorney’s Office investigation, Navarro was arrested exactly a week after his termination, officials reported.

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Following an auction at Olympic Storage on Olympic Drive, the new owners of one of the auctioned units discovered 2.5 pounds of C4 plastics explosives and another type of putty explosive, which they reported to the Clearlake Police Department on Sunday, Nov. 27.

Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen said the explosives were found in a lunch pail in the storage unit.

Police evacuated some nearby apartments and homes in order to create a safety zone which allowed the Napa County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Unit to use a robot to remove the materials and detonate them.

Last week, after those initially discovered materials were destroyed, the Clearlake Police Department was assisted by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, which sent an explosive detection K9 to look for more explosives.

Clausen said on Monday that the dog found no additional explosives, and the unit was cleared and turned back over to its owners.

He said police were not releasing further details about the incident at this time, including how and why Kee had the explosives in the first place.

The storage unit’s previous owner, 62-year-old Victor Russell Kee of Clearlake, was arrested last week by Clearlake Police officers for felony reckless possession of explosives, as Lake County News has reported.

Kee remains in the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $100,000, according to jail records.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

On Monday, following six months of investigation and review, District Attorney Don Anderson released a summary and chronology of the events that occurred on May 14 and his conclusions about Sheriff Frank Rivero’s actions.

Anderson told Lake County News that his staff prepared a 100-page report on the incident in which Rivero allegedly set up a blockade near Middletown in response to erroneous reports that Hells Angels motorcycle gang members were coming to the county.

Rivero did not respond to a request for comment from Lake County News Monday evening.

The district attorney said he is not pursuing criminal charges against anyone in the case, noting, “At this time it has not been determined that any criminal activity took place by any law enforcement personnel that could be prosecuted at the state level.”

However, Anderson suggested that there may be possible federal civil rights violations related to First Amendment rights to peacefully assemble, Fifth Amendment rights not to be deprived of life or liberty without due process, and the 14th Amendment right not to be denied of the right of equal protection under the law.

Additionally, Anderson said a possible violation of Title 18 U.S.C Section 242 – deprivation of rights under color of law – is a federal crime which his office can’t prosecute.

Anderson said the Federal Bureau of Investigation has requested a copy of his report for review.

“They asked for a copy a long time ago,” Anderson said of the FBI, noting that he has not yet forwarded the report to that agency.

He suggested that local law enforcement agencies needed to work together closely to create protocols to avoid such issues in the future, and that law enforcement personnel at all levels – “even the highest” – should receive the proper training in constitutional law and police procedures.

The chronology Anderson released on Monday is a summary of events. He said Rivero had not seen the report.

Rivero’s input also wasn’t included in the report, said Anderson.

“He wouldn’t speak to us,” Anderson said of the sheriff.

According to Anderson, Rivero – on the advice of his attorney – did not agree to an interview with district attorney investigators as part of the inquiry.

In addition, he said two deputies who his office had sought to interview did not speak to District Attorney’s Office staff.

One of the deputies had a scheduling issue and the second deputy initially was under an order not to speak to district attorney’s staff due to an internal affairs investigation, Anderson said.

The names of the deputies involved in the May 14 incident are being redacted in the report, Anderson said, due to concerns about the potential for retaliation.

Anderson said he received about 10 complaints from community members and law enforcement officers about the incident, which occurred on the same day that several dozen Vagos motorcycle gang members – Hells Angels rivals – made a large showing in downtown Lakeport.

The complaints Anderson received ranged from citizens who felt the response was “overboard” to law enforcement officers’ concerns that their safety was jeopardized and that Rivero’s actions were unconstitutional, Anderson said.

Anderson said he is required to look into such complaints.

Command staff, other agencies warned against actions

On May 14, between 50 and 100 Vagos arrived in downtown Lakeport, resulting in the decision by Lakeport Police and associated agencies to station officers in downtown and shut down part of Main Street until the group left, according to Anderson’s report.

Anderson said that his investigation revealed that shortly after 3 p.m. that day, the sheriff’s office received erroneous information that 150 Hells Angels were headed northbound toward Lake County.

Within the following hour, the Vagos started leaving Lakeport, and the sheriff’s office received another incorrect report that 150 Hells Angels were coming over Mount St Helena via Highway 29, Anderson said.

Anderson said that based on this information, and believing a confrontation was going to occur between the two motorcycle gangs, Rivero ordered law enforcement officers to block the entrance to Lake County, turn around all Hells Angels and deny them access into Lake County.

Deputies and officers were ordered to respond “code three,” which Anderson said involves the use of red lights and sirens, and permits speeds in excess of posted speed limits.

A total of about 30 law enforcement vehicles – the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Clearlake Police, Lakeport Police, California Highway Patrol, California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Game and the District Attorney’s Office – initially were part of the response, said Anderson.

But some of those agencies – including the CHP and Clearlake Police – pulled out of the incident after they began to question its legality, Anderson said.

Anderson said his staff’s interviews revealed that Rivero’s own command staff advised him against the level of response the sheriff ultimately took.

Those interviewed by the District Attorney’s Office indicated that they told Rivero that the information about the Hells Angels who were reportedly on the way to Lake County was not good or reliable.

Anderson said Rivero was quoted as telling his subordinates and members of other agencies that he was taking the actions under his authority as sheriff, and that he didn’t care if the Hells Angels sued him later.

In addition, “He didn’t want to listen to CHP,” said Anderson.

During the blockade, Anderson said a deputy with an assault rifle was stopping civilian traffic, while three sheriff’s deputies were sent to a hillside with rifles to take cover in the brush in preparation for a confrontation with the Hells Angels.

He said three patrol vehicles nearly collided in Middletown as they sped toward the incident with their lights and sirens activated.

“We have it on video,” he said, adding that had there been a crash, “that could have been bad.”

Rivero also sent deputies over Mount St. Helena and into Napa County to look for the Hells Angels while a CHP helicopter patrolled the area, but no Hells Angels were found, Anderson said.

Anderson said his staff spoke with an FBI agent with the Sonoma County gang unit who said he told Rivero that the FBI couldn’t endorse, or make recommendations about, Rivero’s plans to attempt to shut down the highway to bar the anticipated arrival of the motorcycle gang.

In an interview with the Associated Press for a story about the Hells Angels that ran in October, Rivero admitted to putting up a roadblock – which he called a “basic response” – to keep the gang out of the county.

That article also claimed the motorcycle gang turned back before reaching the road block, while Anderson’s investigation revealed the Hells Angels weren’t on their way to Lake County in the first place.

Anderson said three Hells Angels were spotted south of Sonoma. He believes the reports of dozens of Hells Angels coming to Lake County arose out of simple confusion that stemmed from information already circulating about the Vagos’ presence in the county.

In August, Rivero released a copy of a report conducted by California Judicial Investigations, a San Francisco firm he commissioned to conduct an inquiry into the Hells Angels incident and several other matters.

The county paid more than $15,000 to the company for the report, which cleared Rivero of any wrongdoing.

Rivero said in an August statement that the California Judicial Investigations report’s conclusions “clear the way to move beyond the nonsensical and costly distractions that have been visited on the sheriff’s office, and me personally, since the DA began investigating these and other complaints.”

However, Anderson pointed out that the California Judicial Investigations report only included information based on interviews with four individuals, while his staff interviewed about 30 people – from rank and file deputies up to command staff and personnel from outside agencies – regarding the case.

As to why the Rivero’s response to the incident was so severe, Anderson said, “That’s still a big question in a lot of people's minds about why it went that way.”

Anderson’s report summary follows.

SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION

INTRODUCTION

The Lake County District Attorney’s Office received several complaints from citizens and law enforcement personnel that on May 14, 2011, Sheriff Francisco Rivero attempted and conspired to stop members of the Hells Angels motorcycle group at the county line, turn them around and deny them access to Lake County, which if true would be a violation of their constitutional rights. The District Attorney’s Office is obligated to investigate complaints of an abuse of authority under the color of law.

Secondarily, complaints were made the that Sheriff had approximately 30 patrol units respond to the county line with red lights and sirens when there was no immediate and imminent threat to officer’s safety or the public.

SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION

The purpose of the investigation was two fold: (1) to determine if any crime had been committed by any law enforcement personnel, and (2) to assist in establishing proper procedure protocol for future similar events.

District Attorney Investigators interviewed more than 30 different city, county, state and federal law enforcement personnel who were involved in the occurrence. Radio logs, audio recordings and video (MAV) tapes were reviewed.

Of those officers involved in the incident only Sheriff Francisco Rivero and two other deputies refused or were not interviewed. Below are the undisputed facts as they occurred.

FACTS

There has been a long time dislike between the Hells Angels and Vagos motorcycle gangs. This dislike has in the past lead to violent and sometime deadly confrontation between the groups.

On May 14, 2011, the Vagos motorcycle gang planned a meeting at the Clear Lake Club in Lakeport. The purpose of the meeting, in part, was to show support for the local chapter and to claim Lake County as their territory.

By late morning various members from Northern California Vagos chapters started filtering into Lakeport. By noon Lakeport was inundated with 50 to 100 Vagos motorcycle riders. A large portion of the riders were congregated on Main Street between Second and Third Street.

Lakeport Police Department detoured all vehicle traffic in the three block area. Vehicles were allowed to leave but not return. Pedestrian traffic was allowed to come and go freely from the area.

Between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. approximately 43 law enforcement officers converged onto Lakeport in their own show of force. Most of the officers were staged on Main Street to monitor the activities of the Vagos. Due in large part to the actions of the Lakeport Police there were no incidents or disturbances in this gathering.

At 3:06 p.m. the Sheriff’s Department received erroneous information that 150 Hells Angels were north bound towards Clear Lake.

At 3:30 p.m. the majority of the Vagos started leaving Lakeport travelling in smaller groups and in different directions. These smaller groups were followed out of town by law enforcement personnel.

At 4:01 p.m. the Sheriff’s Department received erroneous information that the 150 Hells Angels are confirmed to be coming over Mt. St Helena via Highway 29.

At 4:02 p.m. several law enforcement officers from different agencies are en-route to Middletown for mutual aid.

At 4:12 p.m., believing a large group of Hells Angels were coming to Lake County and if they meet the Vagos there could be a confrontation, Sheriff Rivero ordered all Law Enforcement officers to respond Code 3 to Middletown. Sheriff Rivero ordered law enforcement officers to block the entrance to Lake County, turn around all Hells Angels and deny them access into Lake County. A code 3 response involves the use of red lights and sirens and permits speeds in excess of posted speed limits.

At 4:14 p.m. CHP command staff orders their officers not to respond Code 3, but to respond to Middletown at safe speed.

At 4:16 p.m. the first of more than 35 officers arrive at Highway 29 and Bradford Road in Middletown to set up the road block. The north bound lane is blocked and traffic stopped or slowed, with only the south bound lane open. One Sheriff’s deputy is stopping civilian traffic while armed with an assault rifle. Three Sheriff’s deputies are sent to the hill side with their rifles to take cover in the brush in case of a violent confrontation with the Hells Angels.

At 4:22 p.m. three patrol vehicle responding Code 3 nearly collide with each other at the intersection of Highway 29 and 175 in Middletown.

At 4:24 p.m. Sheriff Rivero arrived at the scene.

Between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. Sheriff Staff members and the CHP command staff question Sheriff Rivero about his authority to close the road, stop the Hells Angels and not allow them entry into the county.

At 4:47 p.m. CHP and Clear Lake Police officers leave Highway 29 and Bradford Road due to the legality of the plan to stop the Hells Angels, but stage in the area in case they are need for back up or traffic control.

At 4:48 p.m. the road block is discontinued.

At 5:08 p.m. Sheriff’s units start leaving the area of Highway 29 and Bradford Road.

In an attempt to locate the Hells Angels, three Sheriff Deputies are sent into Napa County. Calls were made to Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino County law enforcement agencies. All advise they have not seen any Hells Angels. CHP helicopter searches the surrounding area but can not locate any Hells Angels.

The original information regarding the Hells Angels came from a CHP officer in Sonoma County. He reported seeing 3 Hells Angels east bound on Highway 12 in Southern Sonoma County. He had also heard of the large number of Vagos in Lakeport. This information was relayed to his dispatch and an FBI agent. The FBI agent then reported receiving uncorroborated information from a credible source that there were Hells Angels traveling in the direction of Lake County.

Some confusion occurs between out of county agencies and it is reported to Lake County officers there were 150 Hells Angels north bound on 101 in Santa Rosa. Thereafter the report was that the 150 Hells Angels were east bound on Highway 12 en-route towards Calistoga and possibly towards Clear Lake.

It appears the information regarding the 150 Hells Angels was confused with the Vagos already in Lakeport. There never was a group of 150 Hells Angels. Nor was there any information that any Hells Angels were en-route to Lake County to fight or confront the Vagos.

FINDINGS

Although the intentions of Sheriff Rivero to prevent a potential fight between the Hells Angels and Vagos from were honorable, the law is clear that no single person or government entity can deprive citizens of the rights guaranteed them under the United States Constitution.

Case law continuously has held that regardless of the criminal history or affiliations, the government can not stop citizens and deny them the freedom of travel guaranteed them under Article 4 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, such conduct violates person’s rights under the First Amendment to peacefully assemble; Fifth Amendment right not to be deprived of life or liberty without due process; and the 14th Amendment right not to be denied of the right of equal protection under the law.

Title 18 U.S.C Section 242 states “This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution and laws of the U.S.” Any attempt or conspiracy to violate this law is also a crime.

California Vehicle Code section 21055 sets forth the circumstance in which a peace office is exempt from certain rules of the road by responding Code 3, that being with red lights and sirens. Among the circumstances are when responding to an immediate and imminent threat to officer safety or the public. In this occurrence, even if the information was true, there was no immediate threat to officer safety or to the public, which is why CHP refused to respond Code 3.

CONCLUSION

This office will not be seeking any criminal charges against any person involved in this occurrence. At this time it has not been determined that any criminal activity took place by any law enforcement personnel that could be prosecuted at the state level. A violation of Title 18 U.S.C Section 242 is a federal crime which this office can not prosecute. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has requested a copy of this report for review.

Vehicle Code Section 21055 is administrative in nature and not meant to constitute a criminal violation.

It is strongly suggested that the heads of law enforcement agencies work closely together to establish protocol for similar events in the future. It is also suggested that to avoid possible criminal and civil liability, law enforcement personnel at even the highest level receive the proper training in constitutional law and police procedures.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Sgt. Kevin Odom said the department has taken a total of six reports on graffiti tagging since Nov. 27.

The places hit include Library Park, which had multiple taggings that appear to be related; an area on S. Forbes Street near the Lakeport Christian School; the side of the building at N. Main and Third streets that houses Penny Lane thrift store; and another area on Park Street, which was reported Tuesday night, said Odom.

Odom said the vandals are writing gang graffiti.

“At times their tagging can be unique,” he said.

Police are looking at the markings to see if they can match them to any possible suspects, Odom said.

He said the vandals are hitting “places of convenience,” where it’s easy to pull out a spray can, scrawl a message and leave before being seen.

Odom said the best ways to prevent graffiti including keeping areas well lit – which doesn’t provide vandals an easy opportunity – and immediately reporting suspicious activity.

The taggings in the park and downtown have been removed, said Odom. City ordinance requires property owners to remove graffiti because it tends to attract more of the same.

Anyone with information about the graffiti taggings or possible suspects is asked to call the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

District Attorney Don Anderson released the report on Monday, concluding that there were potential violations of federal civil rights law – including deprivation of rights under color of law – by Sheriff Frank Rivero, who set up a blockade and ordered deputies to turn back any Hells Angels who showed up in the south county on May 14.

The information that the Hells Angels were on their way turned out to be incorrect, with investigators concluding the group was confused with the Vagos, their rivals, who had made a large showing in Lakeport that same day.

Rivero did not respond to a request for comment on Monday evening, but on Tuesday afternoon he issued a statement in which he accused Anderson of pursuing the investigation due to political motivations and a personal vendetta against him.

Anderson, in turn, said he found it disturbing that Rivero stood by his decisions regarding the May 14 incident.

“Clearly, he intended to violate the constitutional rights of individual citizens. Whether these citizens are criminals or not, he has no right or authority to suspend the US Constitution,” Anderson said in an e-mail to Lake County News. “As stated earlier it is very honorable for any law enforcement officer to protect the citizens of this county, but they must do it within the confines of the law.”

Anderson’s report said about 30 vehicles from several law enforcement agencies responded to the Middletown area on May 14, with some of the agencies – particularly the California Highway Patrol and the Clearlake Police Department – pulling out of the response due to concerns about legality.

Anderson said he does not intend to prosecute anyone, but said he is forwarding a copy of the report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, at that agency’s request, for review.

Rivero did not speak to the District Attorney’s Office during its inquiry into the matter, Anderson said.

Lake County News received the following statement from Rivero, who asked that it be reprinted unedited and in its entirely, which is how it appears below.

“District Attorney Anderson (DA) has not provided me with a copy of his report, choosing instead to first contact the media. To be sure, this was a misguided politically motivated gesture on his part, particularly since the DA admits he did not have the authority to bring forward charges in the first place. At minimum it calls into question his use of the District Attorney's Office's resources and the appropriate expenditure of public funds.

“Be that as it may, I will provide further comments once I receive a copy of the report in its entirety. In the meantime, it is clear the DA has a personal vendetta and an agenda, as does his principal investigator, leading me to question his integrity and dismiss the validity of the investigation. In contrast, an earlier independent investigation, which was more comprehensive and didn’t take nearly as long to complete, plainly supported that the DA had a conflict of interest, was present during the entire event and said and did nothing, and that my actions were wholly appropriate and warranted.

“As to the actions I took on the day the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang effectively closed down the City of Lakeport and the additional threat of the arrival of the Hells Angels, I stand by the decisions I made to protect the citizens of Lake County. Those decisions were made on the basis of reliable information from law enforcement experts, including the CHP and FBI. The gang violence that occurred on the heels of the Lake County incident, locally at the Konocti Vista Casino, and in Sparks, Nevada and San Jose, California, supports my concern about the real threat these outlaw motorcycle gangs posed and validate my actions. I will continue to vigorously protect the People of Lake County against this unmitigated threat of violence while Mr. Anderson fights for the "rights" of drug dealers, outlaw gangs and criminals.”

Anderson offered the following response to Rivero’s allegations. This statement also is published in its entirely.

“In response to the Sheriff’s comments, I find it very disturbing that the Sheriff stands by his decisions of May 14, 2011. Clearly, he intended to violate the constitutional rights of individual citizens. Whether these citizens are criminals or not, he has no right or authority to suspend the US Constitution. As stated earlier it is very honorable for any law enforcement officer to protect the citizens of this county, but they must do it within the confines of the law.

“The District Attorney’s Office has not only the right but the duty to investigate all violations of the law, both state or federal. By law the District Attorney’s Office has very broad investigative authority including instances such as this. There was no additional tax payer money used in this investigation.

“The Sheriff questions the integrity of the investigation, but the facts are based on audio and video evidence as well as the recorded statements of 30 or more law enforcement officers whose integrity can not come under attack.

“The Sheriff put an incorrect spin on my involvement in this incident. I was present during the Lakeport incident, but when the Vagos left Lakeport I had no other involvement. Had I known he was intending to close the county off to this motorcycle group I definitely would have consulted him.

“The Sheriff refers to some vendetta or political motivations I have against him. This is not the case; I would very much like to work together with the Sheriff, just as I do with every other law enforcement agency in this county including his own deputies. However; I will not cover up or white wash any investigation or prosecution.

“The statement that I ‘fight for the rights of drug dealers, outlaw gangs and criminals’, all I can say is I believe in the Constitution and the laws of this State. It is not up to me, the Sheriff, or any government to decide who is protected by the Constitution and who is not.”

The full text of Anderson’s summary on the incident can be found here: http://lakeconews.com/content/view/22517/919/.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs offered a detailed report on Monday evening of police efforts to safely handle the explosive materials, which had led to the detonation of C4 on Sunday evening.

He said one arrest has resulted in the case so far. Victor Russell Kee, 62, who formerly owned the storage unit, was arrested Monday afternoon for felony reckless possession of explosives and booked into the Lake County Jail.

Hobbs explained that at 3:30 p.m. Sunday two concerned citizens came to the Clearlake Police Department and reported they had located a potential explosive device in a storage unit at Olympic Storage, located at 15187 Olympic Drive.

He said the two individuals who reported the explosives had purchased the storage unit at an auction on Saturday.

Officers responded to the storage unit and located the explosives, which appeared to be C4 and another unknown type of putty explosive, Hobbs said.

C4 – or composition 4 – is a powerful plastics explosive that is reportedly deadly even in small amounts.

Hobbs said Clearlake Police officers immediately closed off the area and began evacuating nearby residents of the Adagio apartment complex, which is directly to the west of the Olympic Storage. As a precautionary measure several ambulances and rescue units were staged in the area.

An incident command post consisting of Clearlake Police, Lake County Fire Protection District and Lake County Office of Emergency Services representative Willie Sapeta was established at the Bank of the West on Olympic Drive, Hobbs said.

A mutual aid request was made through the Office of Emergency Services and within a few hours two members of the Napa County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Unit were dispatched to the scene, he said.

While waiting for the bomb unit to arrive, Hobbs said the decision was made to increase the evacuation area to include all the apartments on the east end of the Adagio apartment complex and four residences on Polk Drive, which he said were to the south of Olympic Storage.

Once the bomb unit members arrived they evaluated the scene and determined the explosives were in fact approximately 2.5 pounds of C4 and more of another unknown type of putty explosive, Hobbs said.

Based on estimates of C4’s potency, that amount of the material could cause a significant explosion and kill several people.

Hobbs said the bomb squad determined the explosives needed to be moved to a safe location so they could be detonated.

Olympic Drive was temporarily shut down from Jefferson Avenue to Old Highway 53 – in front of Rite Aid – so that the explosives could be moved to a detonation site by a wireless remotely controlled robot, Hobbs said. Additional residences north of Olympic Drive near the path the robot was going to travel were also evacuated.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday the robot moved the explosives approximately 300 yards to a safe location where they were detonated, according to Hobbs.

He said during the investigation police discovered that Kee had formerly owned the storage unit.

On Monday officers contacted Kee at his residence in the 16000 block of Dam Road and interviewed him regarding the explosives. Hobbs said Kee admitted to owning the explosives and subsequently was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail.

Kee’s bail was set at $100,000. He remained in custody overnight.

Additionally, during the investigation information was obtained that indicated the explosives were obtained from a known outlaw motorcycle gang, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said police still had the storage unit secured on Monday night.

He said a bomb unit with an explosive detection canine from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is scheduled to arrive Tuesday morning and check the storage unit for further explosives.

There are no indications there are more explosives inside the unit, however, in the interest of safety, the unit is being checked by a canine prior to a search by officers, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said the Clearlake Police Department greatly appreciated the assistance provided by the Lake County Fire Protection District and the Napa County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Unit.

He said all of the fire department members involved did an outstanding job and did not hesitate to help in any way that they could.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Det. Tim Alvarado at 707-994-8251.

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