In June 2015, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Rural Crime Investigation Unit conducted a compliance check at R&L Recycling, located in the 2400 block of Edison Highway. Recycling centers are mandated by state law to document each non-ferrous purchase they make, along with the name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle plate number belonging to the seller. The recycling centers are also mandated by the California Penal Code to use due diligence to ascertain if the seller of copper wire, ordinarily used by the electric light company, has a legal right to recycle it.
During the compliance check, Detectives located copper wire, ordinarily used by the electric light company, inside of the business. The owner of R&L Recycling, ROMAN MORALES GOMEZ (46) of Bakersfield, could not provide complete documentation for the purchase. A criminal complaint was filed with the District Attorney’s Office and a felony warrant was issued for PC 496a(a), receive/purchase utility wire without using due diligence, and BP 21608, junk dealer failed to keep record .
ROMAN MORALES GOMEZ was arrested on July 23, 2015 for the warrant and booked at the Kern County jail.
