CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake Police officer's followup this week on a report of illegal dumping in the city ultimately led to the service of a search warrant and seizure of a number of weapons from the home of a convicted felon.
Just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday the Clearlake Police Department began an illegal dumping investigation, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.
Joseph said a witness reported seeing a vehicle illegally dumping trash in Clearlake Park on Tuesday. The witness was able to obtain a license plate of the vehicle, described as Ford Explorer.
On Wednesday the witness spotted the same Ford Explorer vehicle parked in a driveway located in the 2900 block of Fifth Street in Clearlake Park, and again notified police, Joseph said.
The investigation was assigned to Clearlake Police Officer Elvis Cook, who made contact with two persons – a male and a female – at the front door of the Fifth Street residence, according to Joseph.
Joseph said the male subject contacted was identified as 26-year-old Clearlake resident David Randell Russell.
From outside of the residence on the porch, Cook could clearly see a short-barreled shotgun inside the home. Joseph said Cook believed the shotgun to be an illegal weapon due to its short length and detained the two persons contacted.
During the investigation, it was determined that the illegal shotgun actually belonged to 30-year-old Clearlake resident Edward Dallas Gutierrez, who also is the resident of the home, Joseph said.
Gutierrez is a convicted felon and may not possess firearms. Joseph said evidence located at the scene showed that Gutierrez may have fled the home out a back door upon Officer Cook’s initial arrival.
Russell was found to have an outstanding misdemeanor arrest warrant out of the Clearlake Police Department and was arrested without incident, Joseph said. The female subject later was released without charges.
Due to the fact that neither Russell nor the other female lived at the home, Joseph said officers decided to seek a search warrant to enter the home and seize the illegal firearm.
Clearlake Police Investigator Mark Barnes obtained a search warrant authorized by a Lake County Superior Court judge for the residence. Joseph said the search warrant was served and the firearm was seized.
In addition to the illegal firearm, several other illegal items were located and ultimately seized from inside the home during the service of the search warrant, which Joseph said included ammunition, an illegal “billy club,” an illegal “brass knuckle” knife combination and drug paraphernalia.
Due to the fact that Gutierrez has not yet been located, Joseph said the case will be referred to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office in the hopes that an arrest warrant will be issued for Gutierrez with charges to include possession of an illegal short-barreled shotgun, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of brass knuckles, possession of a billy club and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The initial illegal dumping complaint appears to be unfounded as the investigation indicated that the vehicle was used to rummage through already dumped trash, looking for items of use, Joseph said.
The Clearlake Police Department welcomes and regularly follows up on crime tips, Joseph said. These crime tips often lead to more in-depth investigations, such as this incident illustrates.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Officer Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 508.
Though the Clearlake Police Department prefers named witnesses as it makes cases earlier to investigate and prosecute, witnesses may remain anonymous.
Illegal dumping investigation leads to seizure of weapons
- Lake County News reports
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