Full Notification

Public Information Release
April 21, 2014
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer


A vehicle stop conducted Friday afternoon has resulted in three arrests and the seizure of seven pounds of methamphetamine.

On April 18, 2014 at approximately 4:40 pm, a Deputy was traveling northbound on Highway 29, near Butts Canyon Road in Middletown. The deputy was behind a silver colored Toyota sedan, which varied its speed between 38 and 50 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone. The deputy also noticed that the driver was continually tapping the brakes, causing the brake lights to illuminate for no apparent reason. The deputy followed the vehicle for approximately three miles and noticed the driving pattern continued. He also noticed by the time they reached Grange Road, there were nine vehicles behind him, due to the Toyota impeding the flow of traffic. The deputy conducted an enforcement stop of the vehicle which pulled into the Hidden Valley Food Mart.

The deputy contacted the driver, who was identified as 24 year old Rosa Elvia Carrillo-Salas of Santa Rosa. He explained the reason for the stop and advised she needed to pull over to allow cars to get around her. The deputy asked for Carrillo’s driver’s license. As she handed the deputy her California Identification Card, the deputy noticed her hand was trembling and she appeared nervous. The deputy also contacted the front seat passenger, who was identified as 24 year old Artemio Rivera Sandoval and the rear seat passenger, who was identified as 22 year old Pedro Infante-Camarena, both of Santa Rosa. Carrillo said she did not possess a driver’s license and advised the deputy that neither Sandoval nor Infante had a driver’s license or spoke English.

A K-9 unit responded to the scene and assisted the deputy with the enforcement stop. The deputy had Carrillo exit the vehicle and advised she was detained for driving while unlicensed. She denied having anyone local she could call to drive her car home. Because neither Carrillo nor her passengers had a driver’s license and there was no one readily available to drive the vehicle, the deputy requested a tow truck respond to the location.

Prior to conducting an inventory search of the vehicle, the deputy requested the K-9 officer use his partner to conduct a search of the vehicles exterior. The K-9 officer deployed his canine which provided a positive alert to the odor of a controlled substance. During a search of the vehicle, deputies located what appeared to be approximately four pounds of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was packaged into one pound bags and was located in the backseat area of the vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task force was notified of the enforcement stop and the large quantity of methamphetamine seized. Narcotics detectives responded to the scene and took possession of the methamphetamine.

Carrillo, Sandoval and Infante were arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale and transportation of a controlled substance. They were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

Due to the large amount of methamphetamine located, narcotics detectives felt the vehicle needed a more thorough search. They secured a search warrant for the vehicle and served it at approximately 9:45 pm on April 18th. As detectives began a more detailed search of the vehicle they requested a second K-9 unit respond to assist. The deputy deployed his canine to conduct a sniff and she provided several positive alerts to the exterior of the vehicle. He then deployed the canine to conduct a search of the interior of the vehicle, where she gave multiple positive alerts on the center console of the vehicle.

Detectives located a hidden compartment in the vehicle which was under the center console. The compartment door was electronically controlled and used a spring loaded trunk latch to keep it secured. When detectives opened the compartment they located an additional three pounds of methamphetamine which was packaged similarly to the methamphetamine located in vehicle. Detectives searched the underside of the vehicle and noticed the exhaust system had been re-routed to make room for the hidden compartment. After locating the hidden compartment containing methamphetamine, detectives added the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and using a false compartment to conceal narcotics to all three suspects.

The total amount of methamphetamine seized had a gross weight of 3,219 grams or 7.09 pounds, which is the largest amount seized in Lake County. When sold in personal use quantities the street value of the methamphetamine seized would be approximately $321,900.00. Detectives seized $2,494.00 from Sandoval, which is pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
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The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force will continue its efforts to eradicate narcotics from the communities of Lake County and seize the suspected profits of drug trafficking for the asset forfeiture whenever possible. Anyone with information that can assist the Task Force with this effort is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 263-3663.