Sheriff’s investigation nets arrests, recovers equipment stolen from church, seizes large amount of drugs
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Deputies have arrested two Kelseyville residents and recovered equipment stolen from a church, as well as other stolen items plus a large amount of drugs – including prescription pills – during an investigation that began last week.
Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 31, on a series of drug and theft charges, according to a report from Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Arrested at the same time as Langston was Elona Nicole Virzi, 28, also of Kelseyville, on drug and probation violation charges, Paulich said.
At 10:30 a.m. Oct. 31, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Kokanee Way and Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville for a suspicious male seen looking around houses in the area, Paulich said.
When deputies arrived they located a black BMW parked partially blocking the roadway. Paulich said the deputies searched the vehicle, locating paperwork for Langston and Virzi. A records check showed that Langston was on felony probation and Virzi had a warrant for her arrest out of Napa County.
Paulich said deputies also located a leaf blower, gas cans, crate with miscellaneous oils, and a box of clothing inside the vehicle.
The gas cans had “Grace E Free” written on them. Paulich said deputies contacted the Grace Evangelical Free Church in Kelseyville and found they were a victim of a recent theft of their small generator, leaf blower and gas cans.
A representative from the church was able to identify the gas cans as belonging to the church, but the leaf blower in the vehicle was not the one that had been stolen, Paulich said.
Deputies then went to Langston’s residence in the 4000 block of Pharo Place in Kelseyville and conducted a probation search and located Langston and Virzi at the residence, Paulich said.
During the search, Paulich said the deputies located almost 2 ounces of methamphetamine, approximately 56 pounds of marijuana and 134 pill of various prescription medications not belonging to Langston or Virzi.
Langston identified several items at the residence that were stolen, which included the leaf blower that had been stolen from the Grace Evangelical Free Church.
Paulich said Langston admitted to being involved with the theft of the generator from the church as well as one from Lyndall’s Sports Stop Grill in Kelseyville.
The generators have not been recovered, Paulich said.
Langston was arrested and booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana for sale, and a probation violation. Paulich said Langston remains in custody on a no-bail hold.
Paulich said Virzi was arrested and booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a probation violation. She also remains in custody on a no-bail hold.
Deputies have not been able to locate owners for several of the items identified as stolen by Langston.
Photographs of the items can be viewed on this page or at the Lake County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lakesheriff/.
If you believe any of these items belong to you, please contact Deputy John Wander at 707-263-2690. You will need to be able to prove ownership.