A vehicle stop has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine, marijuana and prescription medication.
Public Information Release
August 14, 2014
Lieutenant Steve Brooks, Public Information Officer
A vehicle stop has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine, marijuana and prescription medication.
On August 12, 2014 at approximately 2:30 pm, narcotics detectives were traveling in the area of 35th Avenue and Phillips Avenue in Clearlake. They noticed a white Chevrolet sedan on 34th Avenue approaching the intersection at Phillips Avenue. The vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign before entering the roadway. As detectives were traveling southbound on Phillips the vehicle made an abrupt left turn onto 32nd Avenue, which has a dirt surface. The vehicle quickly accelerated at a high rate of speed in a residential neighborhood, with complete disregard for the safety of the public. Narcotics detectives attempted to conduct an enforcement stop and started to pursue the vehicle. They terminated the pursuit shortly after due to road conditions, the large amount of dust trailing the suspect vehicle and the risk to public safety.
A Sergeant with the Clearlake Police Department (CPD) located the suspect vehicle and conducted an enforcement stop on Highway 53 near 40th Avenue. The narcotics detectives were directly behind the CPD Sergeant and assisted with the enforcement stop. The driver was identified as 31 year old James Remo Regalia of San Pablo. Regalia was instructed to exit the vehicle and as he did, he admitted to having marijuana inside the vehicle.
One of the narcotics detectives deployed his narcotics detection canine to conduct a sniff of the vehicle. The canine alerted to the front driver side door and the trunk, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present. Regalia was informed of the canine alerting to his vehicle and was told his vehicle was going to be searched. When asked if he had any additional contraband in the vehicle, Regalia said there was an ounce of methamphetamine on the back seat.
During a search of the vehicle detectives located a digital gram scale in the map pocket of the driver’s door. Also in the map pocket was a large bundle of US Currency, which was in three different stacks and rubber banded together. Detectives searched the back seat of the vehicle and located a black backpack. Inside the backpack was a tubular object which was wrapped in black tape. Inside the tube were three individual bags containing a crystalline substance recognized to be methamphetamine. Also in the backpack were two large zip lock bags containing a white granular substance, which was recognized to be a cutting agent. The cutting agent is mixed with the methamphetamine to add weight to the substance when it is sold.
During a search of the trunk, detectives located two large zip lock bags containing processed marijuana. They also located a duffle bag which contained several articles of men’s clothing. Also in the duffle bag were three pipes used to smoke methamphetamine. A metal locking safe which looked like a book was also located in the trunk. Detectives were able to pry the safe open and located another methamphetamine pipe, a large amount of packaging material, a plastic bag containing 44 blue pills determined to be Diazepam pills, another digital gram scale and 119 Hydrocodone pills inside a prescription bottle. The bottle had a prescription on it stating it belonged to someone other than Regalia. All of the aforementioned items were seized as evidence.
Regalia was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, sales of marijuana, possession of a narcotic controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
The methamphetamine was later weighed and determined to have a gross weight of 74.6 grams or 2.63 ounces. The processed marijuana had a gross weight of 11.64 ounces. A total of $3,813.00 was located during the search which was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
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.
Address/Location
Lake County CA Sheriff's Department
1220 Martin St
Lakeport, CA 95453
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 707-263-2690