Full Notification

Public Information Release
July 23, 2014
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer


The check of a suspicious vehicle has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of 47.6 grams of methamphetamine.

On July 23, 2014 at approximately 12:30 am, a K-9 Unit was traveling westbound on Highway 20 in Lucerne. The deputy noticed three subjects standing near a Lexus sport utility vehicle. The Lexus was parked on the shoulder of Highway 20, just east of the Beachcomber Resort, which is located at 6345 Highway 20 in Lucerne.

The deputy parked in front of the resort and contacted the three subjects as they walked towards his patrol vehicle. The subjects said they were from Redwood Valley and had come to the resort to visit a friend. The deputy observed that all of the lights were off in the rooms at the resort. The three subjects were identified as 37 year old Jesse James Rodriguez, 36 year old Stephen Anthony Thomas and 26 year old Amber Cheri Dillon, all from Redwood Valley. A subsequent records check conducted by Central Dispatch revealed that all three subjects had their driving privileges suspended. They also advised that Dillon was felony probation in Mendocino County and was subject to search and seizure.

Thomas said he had purchased the Lexus recently and had not yet registered it in his name. When the deputy asked, he also denied having anything illegal in the vehicle. The deputy advised Thomas that he was a K-9 officer and that he was going to deploy his canine to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle. Thomas maintained that there were no narcotics in the vehicle. During the exterior sniff, the canine produced a positive alert at the front driver side wheel well, indicating that the odor of a controlled substance was present. The deputy informed Thomas of the positive alert. Thomas said that someone might have smoked marijuana inside the vehicle during the last couple of days.

The deputy opened the hood of the vehicle and located a black plastic case between the car battery and the vehicle frame, above the driver side wheel well. The deputy opened the case and located two clear plastic bags containing a clear crystalline substance recognized to be methamphetamine. Thomas denied knowing anything about the methamphetamine.

Thomas was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance and using a false compartment to conceal narcotics. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Both Dillon and Rodriguez were released at the scene.

The methamphetamine was later weighed and determined to have a gross weight of 47.6 grams or 1.68 ounces. 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.