On Thursday April 17, 2014 at 0845 hours detectives from the Sonoma County Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Team (MAGNET) and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s SWAT team served two search warrants in the Sonoma Valley. These warrants were conducted in the 100 block of Leveroni Rd. in Sonoma and the 17100 block of Hwy 12 in Boyes Hot Springs. The search warrants were in response to a Sonoma Police Department gang related incident at Steiner’s Bar where six suspects attacked two victims on March 23rd 2014. In that incident one victim was attacked with a knife but escaped while the other was struck with a beer bottle and badly injured, subsequently receiving approximately 50 stitches to his head. The victim was not a gang member and the reason for the attack is unknown. Four of the suspects were immediately arrested but two additional suspects were recently developed by investigating detectives. Arrest warrants for felony assault with a deadly weapon were issued in relation to their involvement in the attack.
The service of the search warrant at the Hwy 12 address was conducted by MAGNET. The suspect, Javier Chavez a 20 year-old Boyes Hot Spring resident was arrested for his warrant.
The Leveroni Rd search warrant was served by SWAT and a large marijuana growing operation was located on the property. Narcotics detectives were summoned to the scene and determined that there were in excess of 400 marijuana plants in various sizes on the property both indoors and outdoors.
The second suspect Ramon Manzo, a 22 year-old Sonoma resident, was arrested for his warrant in this case, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales and committing a felony while out on bail. Manzo was out on bail from an unrelated case in Napa County.
Evidence of gang involvement was seized from both locations.
Prepared by Sergeant S. Crum
Refer CR#14-404
