LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lake County Sheriff's deputy on Thursday arrested a Sonoma man after a traffic stop that led to the discovery of a pound of methamphetamine, which officials said resulted in the largest single seizure of the drug in the county this year.
Luis Fernando Valdivia-Castellanos, 22, was taken into custody following the stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
At 3:50 p.m. Thursday a patrol deputy working the Middletown area noticed a Mazda RX8 exhibiting several vehicle code violations and conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 29 near Hidden Valley Road, Brooks said.
The deputy contacted the driver and solo occupant of the vehicle, who he identified as Valdivia-Castellanos. Brooks said the deputy noticed a butterfly style knife sitting on the front seat in plain view.
A sheriff’s narcotics detection K9 unit arrived on scene. Brooks said the deputy deployed his K9 partner to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle.
As the K9 approached the driver’s door of the vehicle, she produced a positive alert, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present. She also alerted on the trunk and passenger’s door, according to Brooks.
The deputy opened the door of the vehicle and let the K9 have access to the interior. Brooks said the dog immediately jumped in the back seat and alerted to the floor directly behind the driver’s seat.
Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and located a laptop case sitting on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Inside the case was a plastic Tupperware container, which Brooks said contained one pound of crystal methamphetamine, which was seized as evidence.
Valdivia-Castellanos also had a total of $1,041 in US currency, which was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings, Brooks said.
Valdivia-Castellanos was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale and the transportation of a controlled substance. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Brooks said.
Bail was set at $35,000. Jail records indicated Valdivia-Castellanos later posted the required percentage of bail land was released.
According to the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force, this was the single largest methamphetamine seizure this year.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.