Thread: CA - Report of fight leads to gang member arrests

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police arrested three local men Wednesday afternoon who were allegedly armed and on their way to take place in a gang fight in one of the city’s parks.

Josue Fabian Valencia, 21, of Lower Lake, and Clearlake residents Leopoldo Bravo of Clearlake, 18, and 19-year-old Ivan Rodriguez were arrested in the case, according to gt. Rodd Joseph. Joseph reported that on Wednesday shortly after 12:30 p.m. Clearlake Police Department dispatch received a call about a possible pending fight at Redbud Park. The witness stated she had overheard two groups of people arguing at the Tower Mart in Lower Lake and during the argument, the groups agreed to meet at Redbud Park in the city of Clearlake to fight.

The witness described one of the groups as three Hispanic male adults in a black midsized car, Joseph said. The other group was described as a group of black males however, no vehicle description for this group was given to police dispatch.

Joseph said a Clearlake Police sergeant responded to Redbud Park within three minutes of the call, locating at the scene a black midsized car driving through the parking lot containing three Hispanic male adults. The sergeant recognized one of the vehicle occupants as a known and documented Clearlake Sureño gang member. The sergeant followed the car onto Lakeshore Drive, where it quickly pulled into the gas station pumps at Notts Liquors at 14772 Lakeshore Drive. Joseph said the sergeant lost sight of the vehicle and occupants for less than a minute, and then observed the vehicle park in the rear of the lot near the self service car wash.

He said the sergeant watched the three occupants exit the vehicle and begin cleaning the inside of the car. The sergeant continued the observation for a few more minutes, not yet knowing whether the subjects were the ones reported to police. While the officer watched the group, a witness approached him and advised that she had just seen the three occupants in possession of a shotgun while the vehicle was parked at the gas pumps a few minutes earlier, Joseph said.

When the group of subjects began to separate, the officer – who was by himself – engaged the three subjects with his handgun and held the three at gunpoint until other officers arrived to assist. Joseph said the three subjects were detained in handcuffs without further incident, and all were determined to be documented Sureño gang members with ties to the Angelino Heights Sureño criminal street gang. A loaded 12-gauge shotgun was found to have been discarded in a trash can next to the gas pumps. Joseph said several 12-gauge shotgun rounds were located in and around the weapon, and additional rounds also were located in the parking lot of Howard’s Grotto. No weapons were found in the vehicle.

During the investigation it was determined that this group of Sureño gang members were involved in a confrontation with a group of black male subjects at the Lower Lake Tower Mart. Joseph said both groups made threats to each other and agreed to meet at Redbud Park to possibly engage in a gun battle.

While the three Sureños were driving to Redbud Park, the rear passenger loaded his 12-gauge shotgun, which was on his lap. Joseph said the suspects drove into the parking lot of Redbud Park with the intent to shoot the other suspects. When the suspects spotted the lone police officer in the park, they fled in an attempt to discard the gun as the gun was still on the rear passenger’s lap, Joseph said. They dumped the gun into the trash can at Notts Liquors when they no longer saw the police officer behind them.

Joseph said they also threw several 12-gauge rounds into the parking lot of Howard’s Grotto in an attempt to conceal them from police. All three suspects were arrested for several weapon charges. Text messages on one of the suspect’s cellular phones showed that other Sureño gang members were trying to get a hold of another firearm possibly located at one of the arrested Sureño gang member’s Lower Lake residence, Joseph said.

Clearlake police officers and detectives later searched the suspect’s Lower Lake home, however, no other firearms were located. Joseph said it is believed that this second firearm had been removed from the home prior to the search by police and is still outstanding.

Valencia, the vehicle’s driver, was charged with a misdemeanor count of driving without a license, and felony charges of possession of a firearm while a member of a criminal street gang, participating in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm while attempting to commit a street gang crime, possession of a firearm while attempting to commit a felony, armed criminal action and conspiracy. He also is being held on a no-bail immigration hold.

Bravo was charged with felonies including possession of a firearm with a member of a criminal street gang, participating in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm while attempting to commit a street gang crime, possession of a firearm while attempting to commit a felony, armed criminal action and conspiracy.

The rear passenger of the vehicle, Rodriguez, was charged with felony possession of a firearm while a member of a criminal street gang, participating in a criminal street gang, possession of a firearm while attempting to commit a street gang crime, possession of a firearm while attempting to commit a felony, armed criminal action and conspiracy, ineligible possession of a firearm and ineligible possession of ammunition.

Officers obtained bail increases for all three suspects totaling $250,000 each. Joseph said the black male subjects possibly involved in the altercation have not yet been identified. Joseph said the Clearlake Police Department thanked the courageous witnesses who came forward with information which led to the arrest of these three violent gang members and contributed to the possible prevention of further violence in this case.

The Clearlake Police Department is working to rid the city of gang violence and continued gang violence will be sought and prosecuted, Joseph said.

Any person with information about this investigation, or any other crime occurring in the city of Clearlake is asked to contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.

http://lakeconews.com/content/view/22377/919/

More of those Obama cherished Dreamers.