On Going Saga of Covelo California: No Bodies - No Blood

Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: MCSO

This is a press release from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

On 6-08-2020 between 6:29 and 6:31 PM the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dispatch received 4 separate 911 calls coming from the Covelo area.  Callers reported what sounded like a “shootout” that was occurring near the intersection of Crawford Road and Biggar Lane.  Reports ranged from 40 to 200 shots being fired as callers described what sounded like semi-automatic and fully automatic rifle fire.

Members of the Round Valley Indian Reservation Tribal Police also responded to the scene, arriving first, around 6:41 PM.  When Tribal Police arrived they observed one male, with a rifle, fleeing the scene on foot in a southbound direction.  Tribal Police were eventually able to detain two individuals and located one rifle. Witnesses reported numerous armed Hispanic males fleeing the scene on foot as law enforcement responded.


Mendocino County Patrol Deputies arrived and contacted Tribal Police.  Members of the California Highway Patrol also responded to the scene to assist with the incident.  The scene was determined to be a very large marijuana growing operation at the south east corner of the intersection of Crawford Road and Biggar Lane.  

The property consisted of an approximately 10 acre parcel, held in trust by the Federal Government as part of the Reservation system.  The property had no real fixed dwellings but had 38 “hoop houses” which are green houses used to cultivate marijuana as well as several camp sites with recreational vehicles and or tents used by those cultivating marijuana. 

The responding Officers were able to initially detain 4 Hispanic males who indicated they were only working in the marijuana grow but denied knowledge of involvement in the shooting.  Deputies noted what appeared to be in excess of 10,000 marijuana plants as well as evidence confirming at least 50 or more rifle rounds having been discharged recently on the property.  They noted one green house had many rounds fired into it and one vehicle had numerous rounds fired into it.  There appeared to be evidence that rifles, handguns, and shotguns had possibly been discharged at the location.

Deputies then contacted the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Investigations Unit to request assistance.  The Mendocino County Marijuana Team, discovering the cultivation activity was not permitted, authored a search warrant for the location.  

This team was assisted by the Mendocino County Detective Unit and the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force in the service of the warrant.  Upon service of the search warrant, investigators located a total of 7 firearms; 3 rifles and 4 handguns, including 2 AR15 style assault rifles with high capacity magazines, one with a suppressor attached.

12,022 Marijuana plants, ranging from 6 inches to 6 feet in height, were located and eradicated. Two additional suspects were identified, Foley Azbill and Britton “JR” Azbill, both of Covelo were detained.

The investigation determined this garden might have been grown in a similar method of others recently found in the Covelo area; with Federal Trust Properties being leased by tribal members to non-tribal members for the sole purpose of conducting large marijuana growing operations.  

Most of the persons detained appeared less than cooperative and no one admitted direct knowledge as to whom had been responsible for the large discharge of firearms.  Investigators found no evidence or indication that any person had actually been shot.  However, this area is a residential neighborhood with neighbors being less than 200 yards away on all sides of the property as well as roads on two sides that have a high frequency of traffic this time of the day.  There is no safe way to discharge a firearm at this location.

Four men were arrested, booked, and then cited for cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale; Rosalio Pena (AKA Armas Severiano), Ruben Hernandez Najera, Osvaldo Garcia Campos, and Angel Maria Ramirez.

This follows another shooting incident on June 5 from: KRCR

Four men arrested in Covelo, California for gun, probation and warrant charges
Deputies with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) arrested six men in Covelo Tuesday on various charges for gun, probation and warrant violations.

Deputies with MCSO were called to the 76000 block of Highway 162 in Covelo Tuesday after several callers reported gunshots in the area.

Once on scene, deputies found five men outside and roughly 50 used shell casings littering the ground. Two were released from the scene. The other three were identified as follows:

Juan Montalvo-Lopez
Tadeo Munoz-Aparicio
Eduardo Gonzalez
Inside, deputies also found a man identified as Miguel Moreno, along with a .223 military-style pistol grip assault rifle and two handguns.

Munoz-Aparicio was found to be on active probation and arrested for possessing a firearm illegally.

Eduardo Gonzalez was found to have an active felony warrant out of Mendocino County and was arrested.

Miguel Moreno and Juan Montalvo-Lopez were both arrested for being in possession of an assault rifle. All four subjects were booked into the Mendocino County Jail.

MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10th incident

DATE:  "June 10, 2020"   Incident Number: 2020-13833

Crime/Incident: 245(a)(2) PC [Assault with a deadly weapon-firearm]

246.3 PC [Negligent Discharge of a firearm]

182(a)(1) PC [Conspiracy]

11358 H&S [Cultivate Marijuana]

11359 H&S [Possess Marijuana for Sale]

Location: Crawford Road at Biggar Lane, Covelo CA 95482

Date of Incident: 06-08-2020     Time: 6:29 PM

Victim(s): People of the State

Assault Victims-Unknown at this time

Suspect(s): Rosalio Pena (AKA Armas Severiano), 50 years of age, Transient Covelo CA

Ruben Hernandez Najera, 22 years of age, Atascadero CA

Osvaldo Garcia Campos, 40 years of age, Transient Covelo CA

Angel Maria Ramirez, 48 years of age, Sacramento CA

Foley Azbill, 41 years of age, Covelo CA

Britton Leonard Azbill Jr., 38 years of age, Covelo CA

The case remains under investigation and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is requesting anyone with information on this case to please contact the Sheriff’s tip line at 707-234-2100 or the WE-TIP line at (800) 782-7463.

MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS RELEASE DATE / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                       :  Date: "June 8, 2020"  Incident Number: 2020-13462

Crime/Incident:
209(A) PC  (Kidnapping for Ransom or Extortion)

245(A)(2) PC (Assault with a Deadly Weapon Firearm)

236 PC  (False Imprisonment)

422PC  (Criminal Threats)

211 PC  (Robbery)

417(A)(2) PC  (Brandishing a Firearm)

Location:
79000 block of Zenia Road in Covelo, CA

Date of Incident: 06-03-2020  Time:11:33 PM

Victim(s):
Adult Male  (23 year-old from San Jose, CA)

Adult Male  (43 year-old from San Jose, CA)

Adult Male  (46 year-old from Santa Maria, CA)

Adult Male  (35 year-old from Santa Rosa, CA)

Suspect(s):
Emergene Phillips  (20 year-old male from Covelo, CA)

Leonard Dudley Whipple  (51 year-old male from Covelo, CA)
See Photos below

                           

Written By: Sergeant Joseph DeMarco

Synopsis:
On 06-03-2020 at about 11:33 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to the Round Valley Tribal Police office to contact a person who reported he was kidnapped and robbed while in Covelo, California.

When Deputies arrived they contacted a 23 year-old male, and three other male subjects.

The 23 year-old male's brother-in-law translated for the male as he only spoke Spanish. Deputies learned the 23 year-old male and other listed victims (see above) all worked on a marijuana grow site in Covelo.


Deputies learned on 06-02-2020 at about 1:00 PM the owner of the property, identified as Emergene Phillips, arrived at the property in a Ford Edge.

Upon arrival, Phillips exited the vehicle and started yelling at the 23 year-old male and another of the listed victims.  The 23 year-old male did not understand what Phillips was saying so he contacted his brother-in-law to respond to the location and translate for them.

The brother-in-law was reportedly told by Phillips that the 23 year-old male and one of the other listed victims owed Phillips thirty thousand dollars and that Phillips wanted the money. Phillips at right, now in custody.

Phillips was told the payment would not be possible until after the marijuana was harvested and sold.

Phillips retrieved a black colored rifle from the rear of the Ford Edge and fired it three times into the air while demanding payment.

Phillips was told that they did not have any money to give him and Phillips then pointed the rifle at the pair (23 year-old male and one of the other listed victims) before leaving a short time later.

On 06-03-2020 at about 8:00 PM, Phillips returned to the marijuana grow site with another subject identified as Leonard Whipple (AKA Ed Davis).

Leonard Whipple aka Ed Davis, at right, is a local with a long rap sheet.

• A 23-year-old San Jose man working at one such site was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint last week and assaulted by the property owner, who claimed the victim owed him money. The alleged kidnapper was arrested and faces charges including kidnapping for ransom or extortion and assault with a deadly weapon.

The 23 year-old male attempted to run, but heard a gunshot and stopped.  He turned around and observed Phillips holding a silver color handgun. Phillips started yelling, approached the 23 year-old male and hit him in the upper back twice with the pistol prior to pushing him to his knees.

Phillips pointed the gun at the 23 year-old male and told him to call his brother-in-law.  During the call Phillips reportedly told the brother-in-law that he would shoot the 23 year-old male if Phillips did not receive the payment.

Phillips forced the 23 year-old male into the rear seat of the vehicle he and Whipple arrived in.

Phillips and Whipple drove around Covelo with the 23 year-old male while searching for the brother-in-law.  Phillips called the brother-in-law several times demanding money or that he would kill the 23 year-old male.

Phillips later released the 23 year-old male on Airport Road and drove away with Whipple.

Deputies observed marks and bruising on the 23 year-old male's back which were consistent with the reported pistol whipping.

The area where the incident originally took place was processed for evidence.  Deputies also checked the area for Phillips and Whipple but were unable to locate them.

Phillips was subsequently located in Covelo and arrested for the above listed charges.  Phillips was booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $250,000.00 bail.

A report is being forwarded to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office for consideration of charging Whipple for his part in the incident.

Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten  #1184
Mendocino County Sheriff's Office
Matthew Kendall, Sheriff-Coroner
951 Low Gap Rd, Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 463-4411, Sheriff@MendocinoSheriff.com

Further Back Remember the Case of missing Victor "Gallo" Medina from: SJ MercNews

Reward offered after San Jose man goes missing in Mendocino County:
He had reportedly been working at a marijuana greenhouse operation in Covelo, California

Police are publicizing a reward in the case of a San Jose man who went missing in April from a Mendocino County marijuana farm. He had reportedly been working at a large marijuana greenhouse complex.

Victor “Gallo” Medina, 39, had reportedly been working at marijuana greenhouses on the Round Valley Indian Reservation, in Covelo. His family reported him missing to San Jose police in mid-April. A search of the greenhouse property during a raid last month turned up no sign of Medina.

A large ransom was demanded for his safe return, his vehicle was found near Hollister a few days later; but no sign of Victor Medina dead or alive. His family is still praying for his safe return.

The notice from the San Jose Police Department does not specify a reward figure. Anyone with information is asked to call or text 408-878-8670 or email  sjpd0791@sanjoseca.gov.

See my original Post on "Gallo" Medina's kidnapping using the Search Engine.