◼ Three raids in the area of Garberville and Benbow netted an estimated $21 million in marijuana, including nearly 24,000 plants and 600 pounds of processed pot. - Catherine Wong/The Times-Standard
Twenty One Million.
The article makes note of environmental law violations. And, if they had kids, you might find them on the 'free lunch' rolls, right, because the parents show no income. If they're in town, with an indoor grow, their PG&E bill is likely more than most people make every month, and they might be on some special low-income assistance program. Wherever they live, they might be getting Food Stamps, WEC, and whatever other programs they're 'eligible' for.
And even if they're not, they're guilty of a whole lot more than just illegal growing. There's income tax evasion, likely labor law violations, and any number of other laws and statutes they are either violating or not complying with.
Funny how people who support this behavior will also, with a straight face, pontificate with "It's the law of the land" as a new favorite phrase. When they so clearly don't care on whit about the 'law of the land.'
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
"Ken Miller," Sylvia DeRooy and the plagiarist. And hypocrisy.
In the ongoing saga of the graduation speech and the school board member, a familiar player raises his head. ◼ NHUHSD PLAN FOR RESPONDING TO PLAGIARIZED SPEECH: DO NOTHING - McKinleyville Press
_____________________________
In the comments, Ken Miller* says:
August 29, 2013 at 8:03 pm
A concern I have not seen expressed is what other transgressions Don is involved in? He has many big projects, and not just locally, with many opportunities to skim, skate, or otherwise scam a variety of enviro and economic laws. He is simply not trustworthy. Just as catching a speeder or shoplifter is assumed to be catching a chronic offender, we can assume that a parent willing to involve his daughter in a baldface lie in front of her peers, and then attack we who are incensed by his sociopathy, reveals someone capable of, well, anything.
_____________________________
Really? Is this the real Ken Miller? the Ken Miller who brought us Paul Gallegos (the plagiarist)? Ken Miller who stood on his "Fraud is not a victimless crime" soapbox?
The same Ken Miller behind so many political machinations in this county? Suddenly going for the jugular?
Yet - the same Ken Miller who supports Paul Gallegos DESPITE his plagiarizing THE OX-BOW INCIDENT by ROBERT LOUIS FELIX in his PUBLISHED OP-ED "MY-WORD" IN THE TIMES STANDARD?
Yes, the same Ken Miller, (and Sylvia DeRooy, BIG vociferous Gallegos supporter) front and center, at the School Board meeting last night. Opining about the evils of plagiarism.
So, let's hear Ken (and Sylvia) stipulate that Paul Gallegos "is simply not trustworthy. Just as catching a speeder or shoplifter is assumed to be catching a chronic offender, we can assume that a DA willing to mislead the public in a baldface lie in front of his peers,... reveals someone capable of, well, anything."
_____________________________
* We're assuming this really is Ken Miller, out from the shadows, but maybe it's Salzman, using Ken Miller's name. Who knows.
_____________________________
And for you newbies, who don't know the history:
RELATED STORIES:
THE OX-BOW INCIDENT by ROBERT LOUIS FELIX
a copy of THE OX-BOW INCIDENT in case the link goes down
TS - Paul Gallegos' My Word
ER - WHOSE WORD WAS 'MY WORD'? - Eureka Reporter http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=14767
ER - A second Gallegos column raises questions about attribution - Eureka Reporter http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=14776
_____________________________
In the comments, Ken Miller* says:
August 29, 2013 at 8:03 pm
A concern I have not seen expressed is what other transgressions Don is involved in? He has many big projects, and not just locally, with many opportunities to skim, skate, or otherwise scam a variety of enviro and economic laws. He is simply not trustworthy. Just as catching a speeder or shoplifter is assumed to be catching a chronic offender, we can assume that a parent willing to involve his daughter in a baldface lie in front of her peers, and then attack we who are incensed by his sociopathy, reveals someone capable of, well, anything.
_____________________________
Really? Is this the real Ken Miller? the Ken Miller who brought us Paul Gallegos (the plagiarist)? Ken Miller who stood on his "Fraud is not a victimless crime" soapbox?
The same Ken Miller behind so many political machinations in this county? Suddenly going for the jugular?
Yet - the same Ken Miller who supports Paul Gallegos DESPITE his plagiarizing THE OX-BOW INCIDENT by ROBERT LOUIS FELIX in his PUBLISHED OP-ED "MY-WORD" IN THE TIMES STANDARD?
Yes, the same Ken Miller, (and Sylvia DeRooy, BIG vociferous Gallegos supporter) front and center, at the School Board meeting last night. Opining about the evils of plagiarism.
So, let's hear Ken (and Sylvia) stipulate that Paul Gallegos "is simply not trustworthy. Just as catching a speeder or shoplifter is assumed to be catching a chronic offender, we can assume that a DA willing to mislead the public in a baldface lie in front of his peers,... reveals someone capable of, well, anything."
_____________________________
* We're assuming this really is Ken Miller, out from the shadows, but maybe it's Salzman, using Ken Miller's name. Who knows.
_____________________________
And for you newbies, who don't know the history:
RELATED STORIES:
THE OX-BOW INCIDENT by ROBERT LOUIS FELIX
a copy of THE OX-BOW INCIDENT in case the link goes down
TS - Paul Gallegos' My Word
ER - WHOSE WORD WAS 'MY WORD'? - Eureka Reporter http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=14767
ER - A second Gallegos column raises questions about attribution - Eureka Reporter http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=14776
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Shorter Gallegos: "I am ill prepared and inept...so I am glad a competent lawyer and competent office is taking over my cases."
Another glowing piece from the Times-Standard for their favorite golden boy Paul Gallegos - ◼ Suspect pleads not guilty to SoHum murder in federal court; defendants make initial appearances in 2008 case
The DA's office filed charges in 2008, over a gruesome murder again involving Pot. Most murders in the county are actually linked to that. The ugly little secret that the pro-pot crowd never likes to talk about. The case as is typical with Gallegos dithering for years and years.
Gallegos is now all but giddy that the US Attorney's Office in San Francisco is taking over the case.
"Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos said he's very grateful that, in this time of scarce resources, the federal government has agreed to take on prosecuting Carroll...It seemed a case that was perfect for the U.S. Attorney's office to send a message to the region that you don't do this or the feds will get involved,” he said. “It's not a local, homegrown murder, so to speak, it's a byproduct of people coming here to do their business.”
"In addition to sending a strong message to deter the type of violence alleged in Carroll and Lee's case, Gallegos said the federal prosecution also takes a murder case off his office's plate, freeing up man-hours and resources for other local prosecutions."
This is the second Murder case that the Feds have literally taken away recently from Gallegos. ◼ (Remember: Kneeland marijuana murder case goes federal; Wilde indicted by federal grand jury, faces potential death penalty) Despite his pontificating, he shows his incredible ignorance of the law. In order to be charged with a Federal crime, you actually need to have violated Federal law. The fact that the Defendants were from out of the area does not make it a Federal crime. Most laws that are on the books are State laws. Murder for example is a state law. If you commit a murder on Federal property that might trigger a Federal prosecution. (This one wasn't.)
However, is that what is really going on here. More interesting was a Murder case that Gallegos recently tried himself. ◼ (Remember: Hung jury in Curry case; mistrial declared as jurors can't agree on murder count) At the conclusion of the People v. Limmie Curry, one juror called Gallegos inept and ill-prepared. That was what made the papers. Gallegos was again chicken and not even present when the Jury decided they could not reach a verdict. He sent one of his over-burdened attorneys to appear, and reports indicate that several other jurors said much harsher things about Gallegos' performance to that attorney than what actually made it in the paper.
It's almost time for him to face the voters again - And again Humboldt will have a choice. They can re-elect a person who is terrible in Court, even more terrible at running the office, who continues to collect 6-figure paycheck, and now his plan is to dump all of his difficult cases on another lawyer. Pathetic. Be warned. Humboldt.
...But... you were warned. You have been warned. By law enforcement. By the Grand Jury. By people who have left the office. By people who have run for office.
I hear from people who serve on juries. This time the comment made the paper. He's inept, incompetent; sometimes, they find the defendant guilty in spite of Gallegos and not because of his brilliant and skillful prosecution. I hear from families of victims. He tells the families he is going to "personally" try this case, and their reaction is "PLEASE DON'T!" It made the paper this time, amazingly enough. The story has not changed in all these years.
Except, now, your office has half the staff it had when he took office. Half. And NONE of them are experienced trial attorneys. Not any more.
He's not the one who is lucky that the Feds are taking the cases out of his incompetent hands. YOU ARE.
_____
Yes, this blog has been quiet for some time. Yes, I am tempted to give it up. As I have been many times. So - why not give up? One simple reason. All those people who come to me, and tell me what's going on. In despair most of the time. And desirous of anonymity pretty much all the time. But it's ongoing, it's almost daily. The pattern is the same.
And recently, it's stepped up.
So - Thad, where's the story about the 'you get to be assistant DA for a day' clusterfuck that's going on in that office?
_____
The DA's office filed charges in 2008, over a gruesome murder again involving Pot. Most murders in the county are actually linked to that. The ugly little secret that the pro-pot crowd never likes to talk about. The case as is typical with Gallegos dithering for years and years.
Gallegos is now all but giddy that the US Attorney's Office in San Francisco is taking over the case.
"Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos said he's very grateful that, in this time of scarce resources, the federal government has agreed to take on prosecuting Carroll...It seemed a case that was perfect for the U.S. Attorney's office to send a message to the region that you don't do this or the feds will get involved,” he said. “It's not a local, homegrown murder, so to speak, it's a byproduct of people coming here to do their business.”
"In addition to sending a strong message to deter the type of violence alleged in Carroll and Lee's case, Gallegos said the federal prosecution also takes a murder case off his office's plate, freeing up man-hours and resources for other local prosecutions."
This is the second Murder case that the Feds have literally taken away recently from Gallegos. ◼ (Remember: Kneeland marijuana murder case goes federal; Wilde indicted by federal grand jury, faces potential death penalty) Despite his pontificating, he shows his incredible ignorance of the law. In order to be charged with a Federal crime, you actually need to have violated Federal law. The fact that the Defendants were from out of the area does not make it a Federal crime. Most laws that are on the books are State laws. Murder for example is a state law. If you commit a murder on Federal property that might trigger a Federal prosecution. (This one wasn't.)
However, is that what is really going on here. More interesting was a Murder case that Gallegos recently tried himself. ◼ (Remember: Hung jury in Curry case; mistrial declared as jurors can't agree on murder count) At the conclusion of the People v. Limmie Curry, one juror called Gallegos inept and ill-prepared. That was what made the papers. Gallegos was again chicken and not even present when the Jury decided they could not reach a verdict. He sent one of his over-burdened attorneys to appear, and reports indicate that several other jurors said much harsher things about Gallegos' performance to that attorney than what actually made it in the paper.
It's almost time for him to face the voters again - And again Humboldt will have a choice. They can re-elect a person who is terrible in Court, even more terrible at running the office, who continues to collect 6-figure paycheck, and now his plan is to dump all of his difficult cases on another lawyer. Pathetic. Be warned. Humboldt.
...But... you were warned. You have been warned. By law enforcement. By the Grand Jury. By people who have left the office. By people who have run for office.
I hear from people who serve on juries. This time the comment made the paper. He's inept, incompetent; sometimes, they find the defendant guilty in spite of Gallegos and not because of his brilliant and skillful prosecution. I hear from families of victims. He tells the families he is going to "personally" try this case, and their reaction is "PLEASE DON'T!" It made the paper this time, amazingly enough. The story has not changed in all these years.
Except, now, your office has half the staff it had when he took office. Half. And NONE of them are experienced trial attorneys. Not any more.
He's not the one who is lucky that the Feds are taking the cases out of his incompetent hands. YOU ARE.
_____
Yes, this blog has been quiet for some time. Yes, I am tempted to give it up. As I have been many times. So - why not give up? One simple reason. All those people who come to me, and tell me what's going on. In despair most of the time. And desirous of anonymity pretty much all the time. But it's ongoing, it's almost daily. The pattern is the same.
And recently, it's stepped up.
So - Thad, where's the story about the 'you get to be assistant DA for a day' clusterfuck that's going on in that office?
_____
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Who should run for DA?
Who's qualified? Who can fix a broken office? Does it require dope-grower support? Will the trial attorneys finally be brave enough to buck the machine? Or are you stuck with Paul for the next 20 years?
Leave your suggestions in the comments.
Leave your suggestions in the comments.
The latest maybe
◼ Another name being mentioned as a candidate for the Humboldt County D.A’s race is Cyndi Day-Wilson, the attorney for the City of Eureka. - John Chiv Words Worth
And there are others. Not just the ones who've been mentioned here. Paul is weak, more and more people KNOW how absolutely bad he is at his job.
The more candidates the better. Maybe there will finally be an HONEST assessment of his atrocious management of that office.
Just remember - you once had 20 capable prosecutors, now you have 7-ish mostly untrained people struggling with overloaded buckets, no time to properly prepare for cases, and no decent mentor left to help them find their footing.
Oh, I know, eric. He's SUCH a nice guy, and by God, he won!
Lucky for him. It's time for some luck for the people of Humboldt County instead.
(Word of warning: Salzman/Gallegos' machine is much more vicious when it comes to female candidates, so be prepared.)
◼ The latest maybe: Cyndi Day-Wilson
◼ Let's hope not: Elan Firpo
◼ And so it begins: Arnold Klein
And there are others. Not just the ones who've been mentioned here. Paul is weak, more and more people KNOW how absolutely bad he is at his job.
The more candidates the better. Maybe there will finally be an HONEST assessment of his atrocious management of that office.
Just remember - you once had 20 capable prosecutors, now you have 7-ish mostly untrained people struggling with overloaded buckets, no time to properly prepare for cases, and no decent mentor left to help them find their footing.
Oh, I know, eric. He's SUCH a nice guy, and by God, he won!
Lucky for him. It's time for some luck for the people of Humboldt County instead.
(Word of warning: Salzman/Gallegos' machine is much more vicious when it comes to female candidates, so be prepared.)
◼ The latest maybe: Cyndi Day-Wilson
◼ Let's hope not: Elan Firpo
◼ And so it begins: Arnold Klein
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Bodhi Tree to be charged: details emerge in Arcata double homicide
◼ Bodhi Tree to be charged with Eureka shooting; details emerge in Arcata double homicide, defendant's mental health history - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Élan Firpo said this week that she is in the process of amending the criminal complaint facing Bodhi Tree, also known as Hakim Stoltz, to include an attempted-murder charge stemming from a shooting in Eureka that occurred just days before the Arcata double homicide.
Firpo offered new details into the allegations facing Tree, an ex-convict who court documents indicate has a history of mental illness and had been released from prison just six weeks before he is alleged to have opened fire in a Eureka neighborhood. The court documents also indicate Tree confessed to the Arcata killings, telling a friend he'd “just shot two people.”
The subject of an hours-long manhunt, Tree was arrested at about 2 p.m. on May 18 in Arcata. He was found hiding in bushes on the 800 block of Shirley Boulevard in Sunny Brae about 12 hours after 18-year-old Eureka High School student Christina Schwarz and Alan “Sunshine” Marcet, 27, were killed at a home on the 2400 block of Eye Street in Arcata.
...In October 2011, Tree was arrested after a high-speed police chase in a case that ultimately saw him charged with assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest and vandalism. Under a plea agreement, Tree was sentenced to serve three years in state prison for evading an officer. The sentence came over the protests of Tree's defense attorney Owen Tipps, who argued that his client suffered serious mental health issues and would be better served by a grant of probation and counseling.
According to a motion filed by Tipps in the 2011 case, Tree has a family history of mental illness and was declared incompetent to stand trial three times during a 2007 assault with a deadly weapon case, necessitating his commitment into a state mental hospital....
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson ultimately decided probation was not the best option -- agreeing with the Humboldt County Probation Department -- and sentenced Tree to serve three years in state prison. After serving about 16 months -- not including time spent in county jail -- Tree was released from prison in early April.
Within six weeks, he'd been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Tree has pleaded not guilty to all charges in his current case and is next due in court Aug. 12. His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Dixon, was not immediately available to comment for this story.
Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Élan Firpo said this week that she is in the process of amending the criminal complaint facing Bodhi Tree, also known as Hakim Stoltz, to include an attempted-murder charge stemming from a shooting in Eureka that occurred just days before the Arcata double homicide.
Firpo offered new details into the allegations facing Tree, an ex-convict who court documents indicate has a history of mental illness and had been released from prison just six weeks before he is alleged to have opened fire in a Eureka neighborhood. The court documents also indicate Tree confessed to the Arcata killings, telling a friend he'd “just shot two people.”
The subject of an hours-long manhunt, Tree was arrested at about 2 p.m. on May 18 in Arcata. He was found hiding in bushes on the 800 block of Shirley Boulevard in Sunny Brae about 12 hours after 18-year-old Eureka High School student Christina Schwarz and Alan “Sunshine” Marcet, 27, were killed at a home on the 2400 block of Eye Street in Arcata.
...In October 2011, Tree was arrested after a high-speed police chase in a case that ultimately saw him charged with assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest and vandalism. Under a plea agreement, Tree was sentenced to serve three years in state prison for evading an officer. The sentence came over the protests of Tree's defense attorney Owen Tipps, who argued that his client suffered serious mental health issues and would be better served by a grant of probation and counseling.
According to a motion filed by Tipps in the 2011 case, Tree has a family history of mental illness and was declared incompetent to stand trial three times during a 2007 assault with a deadly weapon case, necessitating his commitment into a state mental hospital....
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson ultimately decided probation was not the best option -- agreeing with the Humboldt County Probation Department -- and sentenced Tree to serve three years in state prison. After serving about 16 months -- not including time spent in county jail -- Tree was released from prison in early April.
Within six weeks, he'd been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Tree has pleaded not guilty to all charges in his current case and is next due in court Aug. 12. His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Dixon, was not immediately available to comment for this story.
Bruce “Jason” Stallings-Hunsucker to stand trial for murder
◼ Judge: Sufficient evidence for fourth suspect to stand trial in Willow Creek homicide; Stallings-Hunsucker held on murder charge - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
A judge ruled Wednesday there is sufficient evidence to hold Bruce “Jason” Stallings-Hunsucker to stand trial on a murder charge stemming from the May 2011 shooting death of volunteer fireman Darrell Hanger in Willow Creek.
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Dale Reinholtsen also found there was probable cause to hold the Hoopa resident to answer to charges of burglary, conspiracy and taking a vehicle without the owner's permission. Reinholtsen did not issue a holding order on charges of attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney David Nims.
Defense attorney Neal Sanders said his client was also not held to answer to a number of special allegations and enhancements that he personally used a firearm in the commission of the charged offenses.
A judge ruled Wednesday there is sufficient evidence to hold Bruce “Jason” Stallings-Hunsucker to stand trial on a murder charge stemming from the May 2011 shooting death of volunteer fireman Darrell Hanger in Willow Creek.
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Dale Reinholtsen also found there was probable cause to hold the Hoopa resident to answer to charges of burglary, conspiracy and taking a vehicle without the owner's permission. Reinholtsen did not issue a holding order on charges of attempted murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney David Nims.
Defense attorney Neal Sanders said his client was also not held to answer to a number of special allegations and enhancements that he personally used a firearm in the commission of the charged offenses.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
”He had a few flashes of brilliance but he was otherwise inept”
We've heard this over and over and over again over the course of Paul Gallegos' tenure. This time it actually made the paper. An amazing feat in its own right.
◼ Hung jury in Curry case; mistrial declared as jurors can't agree on murder count - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
A judge declared a mistrial Tuesday in the murder case of Limmie Greg Curry III after jurors said they were hopelessly deadlocked 7 to 5, in favor of acquittal.
...The jury of seven women and five men convicted Curry, 23, of possession of marijuana for sale but the foreman said jurors simply could not agree on whether Curry murdered William Reid on Feb. 3, 2010, at a rural property off State Route 299 near Willow Creek.
..After the mistrial declaration Tuesday, jurors said they worked hard to reach a verdict in the case but ultimately could not come to agreement. They asked to be identified by their juror numbers rather than their names in order to protect their privacy.
”There was not enough evidence to definitively prove Limmie was the murderer -- there just wasn't,” said Juror No. 2. “The prosecution didn't do their job.”
While jurors interviewed for this story universally lauded (Curry's attorney, Jeffrey) Fletcher's performance during the 10-week trial, many were critical of the prosecutor, Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos, who they said seemed ill-prepared.
”He had a few flashes of brilliance but he was otherwise inept,” said one juror, who asked not to be identified.
Echoing comments in Fletcher's closing statement, jurors were also sharply critical of the investigation that lead to Curry and Eddie Lee's arrests, saying it seemed law enforcement honed in on the two suspects and ignored all other leads in the case. Further, jurors said, the investigation seemed incomplete in many ways.
◼ Hung jury in Curry case; mistrial declared as jurors can't agree on murder count - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
A judge declared a mistrial Tuesday in the murder case of Limmie Greg Curry III after jurors said they were hopelessly deadlocked 7 to 5, in favor of acquittal.
...The jury of seven women and five men convicted Curry, 23, of possession of marijuana for sale but the foreman said jurors simply could not agree on whether Curry murdered William Reid on Feb. 3, 2010, at a rural property off State Route 299 near Willow Creek.
..After the mistrial declaration Tuesday, jurors said they worked hard to reach a verdict in the case but ultimately could not come to agreement. They asked to be identified by their juror numbers rather than their names in order to protect their privacy.
”There was not enough evidence to definitively prove Limmie was the murderer -- there just wasn't,” said Juror No. 2. “The prosecution didn't do their job.”
While jurors interviewed for this story universally lauded (Curry's attorney, Jeffrey) Fletcher's performance during the 10-week trial, many were critical of the prosecutor, Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos, who they said seemed ill-prepared.
”He had a few flashes of brilliance but he was otherwise inept,” said one juror, who asked not to be identified.
Echoing comments in Fletcher's closing statement, jurors were also sharply critical of the investigation that lead to Curry and Eddie Lee's arrests, saying it seemed law enforcement honed in on the two suspects and ignored all other leads in the case. Further, jurors said, the investigation seemed incomplete in many ways.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Odds are, they've done this before, and this girl is lucky to be alive
I'd be searching that property for gravesites.
◼ Lake County men face marijuana drug operation, sexual abuse charges - Julie Johnson/Press Democrat 7/26/2013
Federal prosecutors have taken over the case against two Lake County men accused of running a large marijuana farm on a rural tract of land and sexually abusing a 15-year-old runaway.
◼ 'Extremely disturbing'; two men suspected of enslaving runaway teen face federal pot chargesThadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard 7/26/2013
Two Lake County men suspected of raping a 15-year-old runaway, locking her in a 2-foot high metal box for days and forcing her to trim marijuana for weeks remained in the Humboldt County jail Thursday after a judge denied their release on drug charges.
Ryan Balletto, 30, of Lakeport and Patrick Steven Pearmain, 24, of Clearlake, appeared in the federal courthouse in Eureka on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nandor Vadas, who denied their release, saying he viewed both men as flight risks and dangers to the community. The two men were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Vadas said during Wednesday's detention hearing that he finds the case “extremely disturbing,” echoing the sentiments of Assistant United States Attorney Matthew McCarthy.
”This is far and away the most disturbing case I've seen in my career as a prosecutor,” McCarthy told the court.
McCarthy told the court that Balletto, a former U.S. Marine, met the 15-year-old runaway in Los Angeles and drove her nearly 500 miles to a 680-acre piece of land he owns in Ogulin Canyon near Clearlake, keeping her there for weeks against her will to help manicure marijuana buds harvested from a 1,300-plant grow.
McCarthy said both Balletto and Pearmain had sex with the girl while she was kept at the property, and that equipment “consistent with sexual bondage and sadomasochism” was found there. McCarthy said authorities searching the property also found a metal box -- measuring 4 feet long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet high -- with air holes drilled in it, and that the girl later told police the two men locked her inside the box on two occasions for a total of about three days.
McCarthy said the two men referred to their marijuana operation as “their mission,” and told the girl they were locking her in the box to “teach her” and protect their “mission.”
According to a federal criminal complaint filed against the two men, the box -- located outside the trailer in which Balletto resided on the property -- had a hose attached to it, allowing the men to wash human waste off the girl and out of the box without opening it. The girl told authorities, according to the complaint, that Balletto called her a “trooper” for not screaming while she was locked in the box....
◼ Teen allegedly kept in toolbox as part of marijuana operation - News10/KXTV (image source) 7/26/2013
◼ Lake County: Three arrests, marijuana, cash and military-grade weapons seized - Daily News 7/26/2013
...Authorities allegedly found five children in the North Lakeport home they scoured.
Members of the LCSO SWAT team, narcotics task force and major crimes unit served a search warrant on Balletto's nearly 700-acre property in the area of Junction Plaza in Clearlake Oaks Wednesday, according to a department statement released Friday. Deputies also executed a search warrant at Balletto's North Lakeport home.
LCSO officials said they found 1,491 marijuana plants, more than $4,000 in cash and "the largest and most sophisticated bulk of weapons seized in recent (department) history" between the two searches.
In total, investigators reportedly discovered 22 firearms, including high-powered military-grade sniper and assault rifles, automatic assault rifles and pistols. They also recovered military-grade body armor and scopes, high-capacity magazines and ammunition, according to the LCSO statement.
The five children removed from the residence were taken into the custody of Lake County Child Protective Services, the LCSO stated....
◼ Marijuana cultivation investigation leads to human trafficking case - Lake County News
The men also are alleged at one point to have kept the girl in a large box as a punishment, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
Pearmain’s attorney, Tom Quinn, declined comment at this stage in the case, and Balletto’s attorney, Mitch Hauptman, did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg, who is handling the sex crimes case against the men, said they are facing charges of human trafficking, statutory rape, oral copulation on a person under age 16, sodomy, false imprisonment, annoying or molesting a child. Balletto also is charged with lewd and lascivious acts on a child under age 14 or 15.
They could each face nearly 16 years in prison if convicted of all the charges, Borg said.
While the California Attorney General's Office has put increased focus on fighting human trafficking, which the agency said is the world's fastest growing enterprise, human trafficking cases are rare in Lake County, Borg said.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever charged it,” he said....
The girl has since gone into protective custody outside of Lake County, Borg said.
The situation involving the girl also involves a third suspect.
Eric George Edgar, 45, was arrested on May 16 in connection with the case, Borg said.
Edgar is charged with statutory rape for having allegedly raped the teenage girl when they were alone together on the property. He's also facing charges for making criminal threats and attempting to dissuade a witness, Borg said.
The girl was being kept in a small group of trailers on the property, while Edgar was staying in a trailer more than an hour’s hike across a canyon. Edgar is alleged to have happened upon the girl and raped her, Borg said.
◼ L.A. girl kept in metal box on pot farm for sex, authorities say - LA Times 7/26/2013
◼ Lake County men transferred from (Humboldt County) jail; former Marine is one of two men accused of enslaving runaway teen - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard 7/27/2013
◼ Criminal complaint: Ryan Balletto...Note: This document contains content that some readers might find disturbing. - LA Times 7/26/2013
__________________
Lots of unanswered questions. Picking up runaways in LA, transporting them hundreds of miles to a remote location, a 'box' that indicates they solved a problem they must have had before, telling her she was a trooper for not screaming... how many screamed before her?
Just be glad this is before Federal authorities, and not Humboldt County's DA.
(U.S. Magistrate Judge Nandor Vadas and Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg were formerly with the Humboldt County DA's Office. Just some of the talent 'lost, fired, or driven away' by Paul Gallegos.)
◼ Lake County men face marijuana drug operation, sexual abuse charges - Julie Johnson/Press Democrat 7/26/2013
Federal prosecutors have taken over the case against two Lake County men accused of running a large marijuana farm on a rural tract of land and sexually abusing a 15-year-old runaway.
◼ 'Extremely disturbing'; two men suspected of enslaving runaway teen face federal pot chargesThadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard 7/26/2013
Two Lake County men suspected of raping a 15-year-old runaway, locking her in a 2-foot high metal box for days and forcing her to trim marijuana for weeks remained in the Humboldt County jail Thursday after a judge denied their release on drug charges.
Ryan Balletto, 30, of Lakeport and Patrick Steven Pearmain, 24, of Clearlake, appeared in the federal courthouse in Eureka on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nandor Vadas, who denied their release, saying he viewed both men as flight risks and dangers to the community. The two men were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Vadas said during Wednesday's detention hearing that he finds the case “extremely disturbing,” echoing the sentiments of Assistant United States Attorney Matthew McCarthy.
”This is far and away the most disturbing case I've seen in my career as a prosecutor,” McCarthy told the court.
McCarthy told the court that Balletto, a former U.S. Marine, met the 15-year-old runaway in Los Angeles and drove her nearly 500 miles to a 680-acre piece of land he owns in Ogulin Canyon near Clearlake, keeping her there for weeks against her will to help manicure marijuana buds harvested from a 1,300-plant grow.
McCarthy said both Balletto and Pearmain had sex with the girl while she was kept at the property, and that equipment “consistent with sexual bondage and sadomasochism” was found there. McCarthy said authorities searching the property also found a metal box -- measuring 4 feet long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet high -- with air holes drilled in it, and that the girl later told police the two men locked her inside the box on two occasions for a total of about three days.
McCarthy said the two men referred to their marijuana operation as “their mission,” and told the girl they were locking her in the box to “teach her” and protect their “mission.”
According to a federal criminal complaint filed against the two men, the box -- located outside the trailer in which Balletto resided on the property -- had a hose attached to it, allowing the men to wash human waste off the girl and out of the box without opening it. The girl told authorities, according to the complaint, that Balletto called her a “trooper” for not screaming while she was locked in the box....
◼ Teen allegedly kept in toolbox as part of marijuana operation - News10/KXTV (image source) 7/26/2013
◼ Lake County: Three arrests, marijuana, cash and military-grade weapons seized - Daily News 7/26/2013
...Authorities allegedly found five children in the North Lakeport home they scoured.
Members of the LCSO SWAT team, narcotics task force and major crimes unit served a search warrant on Balletto's nearly 700-acre property in the area of Junction Plaza in Clearlake Oaks Wednesday, according to a department statement released Friday. Deputies also executed a search warrant at Balletto's North Lakeport home.
LCSO officials said they found 1,491 marijuana plants, more than $4,000 in cash and "the largest and most sophisticated bulk of weapons seized in recent (department) history" between the two searches.
In total, investigators reportedly discovered 22 firearms, including high-powered military-grade sniper and assault rifles, automatic assault rifles and pistols. They also recovered military-grade body armor and scopes, high-capacity magazines and ammunition, according to the LCSO statement.
The five children removed from the residence were taken into the custody of Lake County Child Protective Services, the LCSO stated....
◼ Marijuana cultivation investigation leads to human trafficking case - Lake County News
The men also are alleged at one point to have kept the girl in a large box as a punishment, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
Pearmain’s attorney, Tom Quinn, declined comment at this stage in the case, and Balletto’s attorney, Mitch Hauptman, did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg, who is handling the sex crimes case against the men, said they are facing charges of human trafficking, statutory rape, oral copulation on a person under age 16, sodomy, false imprisonment, annoying or molesting a child. Balletto also is charged with lewd and lascivious acts on a child under age 14 or 15.
They could each face nearly 16 years in prison if convicted of all the charges, Borg said.
While the California Attorney General's Office has put increased focus on fighting human trafficking, which the agency said is the world's fastest growing enterprise, human trafficking cases are rare in Lake County, Borg said.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever charged it,” he said....
The girl has since gone into protective custody outside of Lake County, Borg said.
The situation involving the girl also involves a third suspect.
Eric George Edgar, 45, was arrested on May 16 in connection with the case, Borg said.
Edgar is charged with statutory rape for having allegedly raped the teenage girl when they were alone together on the property. He's also facing charges for making criminal threats and attempting to dissuade a witness, Borg said.
The girl was being kept in a small group of trailers on the property, while Edgar was staying in a trailer more than an hour’s hike across a canyon. Edgar is alleged to have happened upon the girl and raped her, Borg said.
◼ L.A. girl kept in metal box on pot farm for sex, authorities say - LA Times 7/26/2013
◼ Lake County men transferred from (Humboldt County) jail; former Marine is one of two men accused of enslaving runaway teen - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard 7/27/2013
◼ Criminal complaint: Ryan Balletto...Note: This document contains content that some readers might find disturbing. - LA Times 7/26/2013
__________________
Lots of unanswered questions. Picking up runaways in LA, transporting them hundreds of miles to a remote location, a 'box' that indicates they solved a problem they must have had before, telling her she was a trooper for not screaming... how many screamed before her?
Just be glad this is before Federal authorities, and not Humboldt County's DA.
(U.S. Magistrate Judge Nandor Vadas and Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg were formerly with the Humboldt County DA's Office. Just some of the talent 'lost, fired, or driven away' by Paul Gallegos.)
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
And so it begins
◼ Former prosecutor to run for DA: Candidates file elections paperwork to begin fundraising - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
A retired prosecutor has filed paperwork with the Humboldt County Elections Office announcing his intent to run for district attorney in 2014.
Arnold Klein, who retired from the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office in January 2012 at the age of 69, filed a candidate intention statement with the elections office on Monday, Elections Manager Kelly Sanders confirmed....
Reached Tuesday, Klein said he is running under the tentative slogan, “We Deserve Better,” and said he thinks he can make a positive impact on the office.
”I'm experienced, I'm balanced and I'm not caught up in the broken process that is going on now,” he said.
Klein said he thinks the DA's Office has misallocated its resources, spending too much on its investigations bureau and too little on prosecutors, and that he's been disappointed in what he sees as a steady exodus of experienced prosecutors from the office under Gallegos' tenure.
______________
We do indeed deserve better. Good luck, Mr. Klein.
A retired prosecutor has filed paperwork with the Humboldt County Elections Office announcing his intent to run for district attorney in 2014.
Arnold Klein, who retired from the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office in January 2012 at the age of 69, filed a candidate intention statement with the elections office on Monday, Elections Manager Kelly Sanders confirmed....
Reached Tuesday, Klein said he is running under the tentative slogan, “We Deserve Better,” and said he thinks he can make a positive impact on the office.
”I'm experienced, I'm balanced and I'm not caught up in the broken process that is going on now,” he said.
Klein said he thinks the DA's Office has misallocated its resources, spending too much on its investigations bureau and too little on prosecutors, and that he's been disappointed in what he sees as a steady exodus of experienced prosecutors from the office under Gallegos' tenure.
We do indeed deserve better. Good luck, Mr. Klein.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Something we agree on
◼ Gallegos weighs in on 'stand-your-ground' laws: Amid national controversy, Humboldt County DA supports California self-defense law - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
University of California Hastings College of Law professor David Levine, on the other hand, does not get it.
While the nation's top cop strongly condemned “stand-your-ground” laws, and protests over self-defense legal statutes raged across the nation in the wake of George Zimmerman's acquittal last week, Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos said Friday he doesn't have a problem with the statutes.Gallegos gets it.
”No matter what you do, things can go bad,” Gallegos said. “But the idea behind stand your ground is that the process of retreating can also put you in danger, even graver danger in some cases. The reality is if someone comes at you, you should be able to stay there and defend yourself.”
University of California Hastings College of Law professor David Levine, on the other hand, does not get it.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Hislop retires. Gonna spend more time with his family.
◼ Transformation in DA Investigations Bureau; retirement, new faces bring change to investigations unit - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
...After 33 years in law enforcement, DA Chief Investigator Mike Hislop, 51, has retired and District Attorney Paul Gallegos has tapped investigator Wayne Cox to fill the post. The office is also readying to welcome a pair of new investigators into its ranks in the coming weeks, leaving a void in another local agency's criminal investigations unit....
Gallegos said he has full confidence that Cox is the right person for the job.
”Wayne is the future, and it looks like a very promising future,” he said. “I'm excited. More than excited, I feel we are very fortunate in this office, and in this community, to have him.”
Other changes are also ahead for the DA's Office Investigative Bureau, as the departure of William Hansel several months back to take a lieutenant position with the Humboldt State University Police Department and Cox's promotion left a pair of vacant investigator positions.
Hislop said the bureau has gone ahead with hiring Kyla Baxley and Marvin Kirkpatrick, both of whom currently work as detectives with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. Both are expected to start in the coming weeks.
Kirkpatrick, who's worked for the sheriff's office for 27 years, will do general investigations. Baxley, who's worked for the sheriff's office for about five years, will investigate child sex crimes, Hislop said, adding that both are “rock solid” and will work well with the bureau's team.
...After 33 years in law enforcement, DA Chief Investigator Mike Hislop, 51, has retired and District Attorney Paul Gallegos has tapped investigator Wayne Cox to fill the post. The office is also readying to welcome a pair of new investigators into its ranks in the coming weeks, leaving a void in another local agency's criminal investigations unit....
Gallegos said he has full confidence that Cox is the right person for the job.
”Wayne is the future, and it looks like a very promising future,” he said. “I'm excited. More than excited, I feel we are very fortunate in this office, and in this community, to have him.”
Other changes are also ahead for the DA's Office Investigative Bureau, as the departure of William Hansel several months back to take a lieutenant position with the Humboldt State University Police Department and Cox's promotion left a pair of vacant investigator positions.
Hislop said the bureau has gone ahead with hiring Kyla Baxley and Marvin Kirkpatrick, both of whom currently work as detectives with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. Both are expected to start in the coming weeks.
Kirkpatrick, who's worked for the sheriff's office for 27 years, will do general investigations. Baxley, who's worked for the sheriff's office for about five years, will investigate child sex crimes, Hislop said, adding that both are “rock solid” and will work well with the bureau's team.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Remember when Paul Gallegos didn't have a child abuse prosecutor, so he said he was going to have EVERYONE do every job, so they'd all be better at what they do? Well...
Now, you too can be an Assistant DA.
Fresh out of law school and don't have a clue? Already carrying the load of five people who've been 'lost,' fired or driven off?
If rumors are true of course. And, there's always the proverbial tip of the iceberg aspect to this. There's a lot going on, but the public never gets to hear about it. Paul's such a fine D.A. and all. (yes, I know, Eric, he won.)
◼ Musical chairs at the DA's? - John Chiv Words Worth
Fresh out of law school and don't have a clue? Already carrying the load of five people who've been 'lost,' fired or driven off?
If rumors are true of course. And, there's always the proverbial tip of the iceberg aspect to this. There's a lot going on, but the public never gets to hear about it. Paul's such a fine D.A. and all. (yes, I know, Eric, he won.)
◼ Musical chairs at the DA's? - John Chiv Words Worth
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