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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force's service of a search warrant on Tuesday in Clearlake Oaks has resulted in two felony arrests, and the seizure of more than a pound of methamphetamine and more than $1,900 in currency for asset forfeiture.
Tuesday’s warrant service marked the first time in years that more than a pound of methamphetamine has been taken off the streets in a single seizure in Lake County, according to a report from Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office. It's minimum street value was set at more than $51,000.
On Friday, March 11, task force members secured a search warrant for a home located on New Long Valley Road in the Spring Valley area of Clearlake Oaks, Bauman said. The task force served the search warrant on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 15, with the assistance of a sheriff’s narcotics detection K-9 team.
Four suspects were located in different areas of the home and detained without incident, Bauman said. They included Gerardo Castillo, 45; Tammi Ileine Duran, 46; Wendy Marie Yudnich, 42; and 18-year-old Travis Frank Yudnich, all of Clearlake Oaks.
Bauman said Duran was found standing near a couch in the living room and Castillo was located in a kitchen. Wendy and Travis Yudnich were located in separate bedrooms.
Upon entering the home, narcotics detectives found a video surveillance system monitoring the property. Bauman said detectives also discovered they had interrupted a narcotics transaction in progress.
He said the couch Duran was standing near was searched and beneath one of the cushions detectives located a plastic bag containing approximately one ounce of methamphetamine. A search of Duran’s purse and two make up cases found on the same couch revealed several other baggies containing methamphetamine, $400 in currency, and narcotics paraphernalia.
Narcotics detectives continued to search the residence and located a plastic bucket concealed in a fireplace, Bauman said. An inspection of the bucket’s contents revealed a large plastic bag containing a full pound of methamphetamine and two smaller bags containing over an ounce each of methamphetamine.
He said the bucket also contained a digital scale, cutting agents, smoking pipes, and other evidence of controlled substance sales and use. In a master bedroom, detectives located narcotics paraphernalia, live shotgun ammunition and more than $1,500 in currency.
All four suspects were initially arrested and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, Bauman said. Subsequent to booking, further investigation revealed that Castillo was in fact in the midst of selling an ounce of methamphetamine to Duran when narcotics detectives entered the home.
He said narcotics detectives also determined that Wendy and Johnny Yudnich were not directly involved in the sales transaction or the possession of methamphetamine and they were released with no pending charges.
Castillo was booked for possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and being a felon in possession of live ammunition. Bauman said Castillo remained in the custody of the sheriff Friday with an enhanced bail of $150,000.
Duran was booked for possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and being under the influence of a controlled substance, Bauman said.
The $1,900 in currency collected from the scene was seized for asset forfeiture as the suspected profit of narcotics trafficking, he said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force's anonymous tip line is 707-263-3663.
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