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LAKEPORT, Calif. – At its Tuesday meeting the Lakeport City Council approved budget adjustments and the completion of the downtown tree project, and appointed two members to an ad hoc committee to help select members of city committees and commissions.
Finance Director Nick Walker presented to the council a report on the unaudited actuals for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which ended June 30, and an update on surplus revenues.
He said the general fund, and the water and sewer operating and maintenance funds all exceeded expectations and ended the year with surpluses.
Walker said the general fund is anticipated to have an operating surplus of $763,023, primarily from vacant police department positions, delayed capital projects and operational savings across departments.
The water operating and maintenance fund is expected to have a surplus totaling $269,540. Walker credited staff for its work to eliminate a budgeted deficit. Operational savings, operational revenues that outperformed the budget by 6 percent and delayed capital projects contributed to that budget outcome, Walker said.
In the sewer operating and maintenance fund, the operating surplus totals $1,951,954. Walker said the closeout of the US Department of Agriculture water project in this last fiscal year resulted in $1,153,000 of repayment to the operating fund for projects that were completed under the program. It also was helped by operational cost savings, delayed capital projects and operating revenues outperforming the budget by 7 percent.
Walker said staff asked for budget adjustments including $70,000 for the Library Park playground, $90,000 for two new police vehicles and an additional $28,500 for the downtown tree project.
He said there would be another $384,000 to put into reserve.
Regarding the police vehicles, Walker said the vehicles will be fully loaded Dodge Chargers, which cost about $45,000 each. He said the city is is looking to get another Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle through a USDA grant.
In other business on Tuesday, City Manager Margaret Silveira asked for the council to award a construction contract Nate’s Electric Inc. in the amount of $68,500 for the city’s downtown tree well electrical project.
The work will include providing outlets for the future tree lights and electrical service that will be available to vendors during community events on Main Street.
This project was part of the city’s larger Downtown Improvement Project. However, Silveira said that, due to costs coming in higher than projected, the tree installation and electrical conductor work were deleted from the downtown project in 2016.
The city did move forward with the placement of conduit and electrical panels during the main project but no power source was installed in the tree wells. The trees were planted in 2017, Silveira reported.
“Now that the trees are planted, we would really like to see the project completed,” Silveira said.
The city’s engineer had estimated the tree project would cost $35,000, and it initially came in at $40,000 in 2016, Silveira said. It’s since jumped in cost, and now totals $68,500, with staff expecting the price could rise still higher if the city puts it off again.
Nate’s Electric, based in Kelseyville, was one of two bids submitted for the project, Silveira reported.
Councilman Kenny Parlet pointed out that, every time a capital improvement project is put off, costs go up.
“It was hard to get bidders for it,” Silveira acknowledged.
Mayor Pro Tem Tim Barnes asked staff if the work could be done in house, by city staff.
“We really don’t have the expertise to do this particular electrical-type work,” said Public Works Director Doug Grider, who added that there is a lot to the project.
Grider also told the council during the discussion that Nate’s Electric has done a lot of quality work for the city. “At least the money’s staying local,” and not going to a big out-of-area contractor, Grider said.
Parlet said that, right now, with the fire rebuilding going on around the region, contractors are in the driver’s seat.
Councilwoman Stacey Mattina said the downtown project turned out great, and the trees are integral to it. She said the tree project will be worth it.
Grider explained that vendors for downtown events like the Dickens Faire and Oktoberfest will be able to easily plug into outlets at the tree wells rather than having to use a lot of other equipment.
Mattina moved to award the bid contract, which Parlet seconded and the council approved 5-0.
The council then unanimously approved the amendment to the city budget as recommended by city staff, which included the tree project.
At Tuesday night’s meeting the council also approved establishing an ad hoc committee including two council members to make recommendations to the full council for appointments to the city’s commissions and committees, with terms expiring in 2018.
The recommendations will be for the Lakeport Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, Lake County Vector Control District Board of Trustees, the Measure Z Advisory Committee and the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
Mattina and Mayor Mireya Turner agreed to serve on the committee, with the council voting to approve their appointment to the ad hoc committee 5-0.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Wednesday, Oct. 31, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Rep. John Garamendi (CA-03) will come to Lake County to host a veterans town hall.
The town hall event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Medeiros Veterans Center in Lakeport, 875 11th St.
This event will be an opportunity for veterans to ask questions and hear from the members of Congress and veterans from regional veterans organizations, including the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center, the Oakland VA Regional Center, the Lake County Veterans Service Office, and the Lake County United Veterans Council.
All constituents of California’s Fifth and Third Congressional District are invited to attend.
The town hall event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Medeiros Veterans Center in Lakeport, 875 11th St.
This event will be an opportunity for veterans to ask questions and hear from the members of Congress and veterans from regional veterans organizations, including the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center, the Oakland VA Regional Center, the Lake County Veterans Service Office, and the Lake County United Veterans Council.
All constituents of California’s Fifth and Third Congressional District are invited to attend.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Clearlake man who in December 2016 shot his estranged girlfriend’s aunt to death and wounded other family members has reached a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office.
On Friday, Ezequiel Junior Bravo, 26, pleaded guilty to the murder of Theresa Sara Jones, and also entered guilty pleas for the attempted murder of his estranged girlfriend Shian Brown, assault with a deadly weapon on Robert Brown, assault with a deadly weapon on Stephanie Brown and assault with a deadly weapon on E.G., a minor, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
In addition, Anderson said Bravo pleaded guilty to the attempted kidnapping of Shian Brown at the Lakeport Cinema three days prior to the home invasion and shooting.
Anderson, who personally prosecuted the case, said Bravo will return to court early next year, at which time he’s expected to be sentenced to 45 and a half years in prison.
Bravo’s attorney, Angela Carter of the Carter Brown Law Firm, said she and her client are satisfied with the outcome.
She said Bravo, had he gone to trial and been convicted, was facing five life terms plus 189 years if he went to trial.
Under California law, he’s considered a “youthful offender,” since the crime was committed under age 27. At the time the shootings occurred, the state cutoff for youthful offenders was actually lower, at age 25.
Carter said that 25 years from the time of his arrest he’ll be eligible for parole, which means he could be up for release in his 40s.
“This is a good outcome because he has the potential for being out,” she said.
It also is positive, she said, because all parties agreed to it, from the victims to Bravo and his family. “It’s been approved on a lot of levels.”
The case alleges that on Nov. 27, 2016, Bravo met with his estranged girlfriend, Shian Brown, at the Lakeport Cinema in order to exchange their children.
Anderson said Bravo had been in an abusive relationship with Shian Brown for several years and that she had ended the relationship a few days prior to that Nov. 27 meeting.
During the exchange of the children Bravo tried to force Brown into his car, Anderson said. Brown got away but Bravo threatened to get a shotgun and kill her family.
On Dec. 1, 2016, Brown was staying with her family at the Pomo Drive residence of Jones – Brown’s aunt – at the Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks, Anderson said.
At approximately 2:16 a.m. that day, Bravo went to the residence armed with a shotgun, kicked in the back door and demanded to know where Brown was, according to the investigation.
Bravo went to Jones’ bedroom, where he found her with her 6-year-old daughter, E.G. Anderson said that when Jones did not tell Bravo where Brown was, he shot her once in the face, killing her instantly, Anderson said.
Anderson said Bravo then went to the room of Robert Brown and Stephanie Brown, where he struggled with Robert Brown over the shotgun. Robert Brown was shot in the arm before Bravo fired another round, hitting E.G. in the arm.
Stephanie Brown ran outside and Ezequiel Bravo followed her. Anderson said they also got into a brief struggle over the shotgun when Bravo struck her several times then shot her in the upper chest, causing only moderate injuries.
Bravo then stole the Browns’ vehicle and fled the scene prior to sheriff’s deputies arriving, Anderson said.
Later that morning Ezequiel Bravo was spotted on the school grounds at Pomo Elementary School in Clearlake by Principal Diane Johnson. While at the school, Anderson said Bravo entered the classroom of his younger brother.
In a plan with Clearlake Police officers, Vice Principal Joe Madrid entered the classroom and asked to talk to Bravo outside. On leaving the classroom, Bravo was taken into custody without incident, Anderson said.
Anderson took the case to a criminal grand jury, which returned an indictment of Bravo on June 30, 2017.
The grand jury proceedings take place without the defense attorney, so Carter said she was not a party to what occurred there.
The case proceeded, with efforts to reach a settlement.
Carter said that Bravo always was accompanied to court by several of his family members, “and that’s unusual,” she said, noting that in her experience handling homicide cases, there are rarely family members there in support of the defendant.
She said his parents, who have five other younger children, were there for him. “It was so sad for me to see them at court every time,” she said, noting the heartbreak she saw in their eyes.
Carter said Bravo’s family didn’t make excuses for what occurred, and as his attorney she didn’t put on a defense of denial.
The first offer from the District Attorney’s Office was for 110 years, Carter said. That wasn’t accepted.
Carter said the efforts on the current plea deal started months ago, and took time while getting everyone to agree. There also were court appearances required to finalize it.
She said Bravo has been a really good inmate, and she has no reason to believe he’ll be a difficult prisoner, which will go in his favor for an eventual release.
Carter said that the plea, while a lot of time, gives Bravo a chance to eventually get out of prison and have some kind of life, which she said meant a lot to his family.
Anderson said Bravo is scheduled to return for sentencing on Jan. 22.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
On Friday, Ezequiel Junior Bravo, 26, pleaded guilty to the murder of Theresa Sara Jones, and also entered guilty pleas for the attempted murder of his estranged girlfriend Shian Brown, assault with a deadly weapon on Robert Brown, assault with a deadly weapon on Stephanie Brown and assault with a deadly weapon on E.G., a minor, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
In addition, Anderson said Bravo pleaded guilty to the attempted kidnapping of Shian Brown at the Lakeport Cinema three days prior to the home invasion and shooting.
Anderson, who personally prosecuted the case, said Bravo will return to court early next year, at which time he’s expected to be sentenced to 45 and a half years in prison.
Bravo’s attorney, Angela Carter of the Carter Brown Law Firm, said she and her client are satisfied with the outcome.
She said Bravo, had he gone to trial and been convicted, was facing five life terms plus 189 years if he went to trial.
Under California law, he’s considered a “youthful offender,” since the crime was committed under age 27. At the time the shootings occurred, the state cutoff for youthful offenders was actually lower, at age 25.
Carter said that 25 years from the time of his arrest he’ll be eligible for parole, which means he could be up for release in his 40s.
“This is a good outcome because he has the potential for being out,” she said.
It also is positive, she said, because all parties agreed to it, from the victims to Bravo and his family. “It’s been approved on a lot of levels.”
The case alleges that on Nov. 27, 2016, Bravo met with his estranged girlfriend, Shian Brown, at the Lakeport Cinema in order to exchange their children.
Anderson said Bravo had been in an abusive relationship with Shian Brown for several years and that she had ended the relationship a few days prior to that Nov. 27 meeting.
During the exchange of the children Bravo tried to force Brown into his car, Anderson said. Brown got away but Bravo threatened to get a shotgun and kill her family.
On Dec. 1, 2016, Brown was staying with her family at the Pomo Drive residence of Jones – Brown’s aunt – at the Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks, Anderson said.
At approximately 2:16 a.m. that day, Bravo went to the residence armed with a shotgun, kicked in the back door and demanded to know where Brown was, according to the investigation.
Bravo went to Jones’ bedroom, where he found her with her 6-year-old daughter, E.G. Anderson said that when Jones did not tell Bravo where Brown was, he shot her once in the face, killing her instantly, Anderson said.
Anderson said Bravo then went to the room of Robert Brown and Stephanie Brown, where he struggled with Robert Brown over the shotgun. Robert Brown was shot in the arm before Bravo fired another round, hitting E.G. in the arm.
Stephanie Brown ran outside and Ezequiel Bravo followed her. Anderson said they also got into a brief struggle over the shotgun when Bravo struck her several times then shot her in the upper chest, causing only moderate injuries.
Bravo then stole the Browns’ vehicle and fled the scene prior to sheriff’s deputies arriving, Anderson said.
Later that morning Ezequiel Bravo was spotted on the school grounds at Pomo Elementary School in Clearlake by Principal Diane Johnson. While at the school, Anderson said Bravo entered the classroom of his younger brother.
In a plan with Clearlake Police officers, Vice Principal Joe Madrid entered the classroom and asked to talk to Bravo outside. On leaving the classroom, Bravo was taken into custody without incident, Anderson said.
Anderson took the case to a criminal grand jury, which returned an indictment of Bravo on June 30, 2017.
The grand jury proceedings take place without the defense attorney, so Carter said she was not a party to what occurred there.
The case proceeded, with efforts to reach a settlement.
Carter said that Bravo always was accompanied to court by several of his family members, “and that’s unusual,” she said, noting that in her experience handling homicide cases, there are rarely family members there in support of the defendant.
She said his parents, who have five other younger children, were there for him. “It was so sad for me to see them at court every time,” she said, noting the heartbreak she saw in their eyes.
Carter said Bravo’s family didn’t make excuses for what occurred, and as his attorney she didn’t put on a defense of denial.
The first offer from the District Attorney’s Office was for 110 years, Carter said. That wasn’t accepted.
Carter said the efforts on the current plea deal started months ago, and took time while getting everyone to agree. There also were court appearances required to finalize it.
She said Bravo has been a really good inmate, and she has no reason to believe he’ll be a difficult prisoner, which will go in his favor for an eventual release.
Carter said that the plea, while a lot of time, gives Bravo a chance to eventually get out of prison and have some kind of life, which she said meant a lot to his family.
Anderson said Bravo is scheduled to return for sentencing on Jan. 22.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is holding off on approving an appointment to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board as it seeks to research further how appointments should be made and whether procedures have been followed properly.
On the board’s Tuesday agenda was approval of a recommendation from the fire board to appoint Gary Hill to succeed longtime member Gerry Mills, who retired in September. Lakeport residents Cheryl Pick and Greg Scott also applied for Mills’ seat.
However, filling Mills’ seat has undergone additional scrutiny in the wake of the fire district’s decision last month to accept a budget that cuts three full-time firefighters, which led to widespread criticism and concern from the community, as Lake County News has reported.
With the other four fire district board positions set to be reappointed by the start of next year, the situation has led to questions about how seats have been filled and whether over the past 20 years the appointment process has been carried out properly, which caused the majority of supervisors to want to pull back and explore the matter further.
County Counsel Anita Grant explained that the Lakeport Fire Protection District covers both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the Lakeport community. In 1999, the Lakeport County Fire Protection District annexed the city of Lakeport Fire Department.
Grant said that, based on state law, the fire district board shall be elected by the Board of Supervisors and the Lakeport City Council.
Supervisor Rob Brown said he knows Hill, who he said is a nice man, well educated, knows the community and is a retired county employee. “So this is not about him,” Brown said of wanting to not make the appointment right away.
Rather, Brown focused on the process, explaining that in his time on the board – which began two years after the annexation was finalized – the Board of Supervisors has never recommended two fire board members, and has never interviewed them. In speaking with officials from the city of Lakeport, he said they communicated it was the same for them.
“I don’t think the process has been followed,” he said, adding that the fire district board can operate with the vacancy while it’s studied further.
Brown asked Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison if a fire parcel tax measure was going on the March ballot. Hutchison said at that point he wasn’t sure, adding it could be put on the ballot in May, but he confirmed one was being put before voters.
Following up, Brown asked if the district was going to ask voters if the fire district board should be elected rather than appointed. Supervisor Tina Scott said she went to the fire board meeting last week, and district officials said they hadn’t discussed it.
Grant told board members that appointing fire district board members is not a discretionary function but a ministerial one. She said they could encourage the fire district to go to an election process, but they can’t order it.
Brown said he understood Grant’s point, but nonetheless was unwilling to make an appointment yet.
“There’s some real big problems in Lakeport with the fire district,” he said, explaining that what happens with Lakeport Fire will affect every other fire district in the county, especially the neighboring districts like Kelseyville.
Board Chair Jim Steele said Brown made good sense of the issue in laying it out, and added he felt it was important that the Board of Supervisors get the appointment right. As such, Steele also suggested deferring board action, adding he wanted Brown and Scott to sit down with the appropriate groups and come back with a solution.
Scott said she didn’t know what more they could clarify, and she didn’t see an issue with accepting the fire district’s appointment recommendation.
Brown moved to defer a decision, develop a committee to work with the fire district, the city of Lakeport and the Board of Supervisors and come up with a plan for filling the district board’s five seats by the start of the year. Supervisor Jeff Smith seconded the motion.
Scott then made her own motion to appoint Hill to the fire district board, which Supervisor Moke Simon seconded.
Steele called first for the vote on Scott’s motion, which failed, 2-3.
The vote on Brown’s motion passed, 3-2, with Scott and Simon voting no.
Steele asked for a followup discussion to be timed for early November.
Grant urged the board to focus on using that timeframe to clarify the circumstances of filling the fire board district seats. She also told the board that she didn’t think the matter was as difficult to resolve as it sounds.
Fire board applicant Greg Scott told the supervisors that it’s important to have people on the fire district board who understand how to lead and grow the district, support the chief and look into the future.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
On the board’s Tuesday agenda was approval of a recommendation from the fire board to appoint Gary Hill to succeed longtime member Gerry Mills, who retired in September. Lakeport residents Cheryl Pick and Greg Scott also applied for Mills’ seat.
However, filling Mills’ seat has undergone additional scrutiny in the wake of the fire district’s decision last month to accept a budget that cuts three full-time firefighters, which led to widespread criticism and concern from the community, as Lake County News has reported.
With the other four fire district board positions set to be reappointed by the start of next year, the situation has led to questions about how seats have been filled and whether over the past 20 years the appointment process has been carried out properly, which caused the majority of supervisors to want to pull back and explore the matter further.
County Counsel Anita Grant explained that the Lakeport Fire Protection District covers both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the Lakeport community. In 1999, the Lakeport County Fire Protection District annexed the city of Lakeport Fire Department.
Grant said that, based on state law, the fire district board shall be elected by the Board of Supervisors and the Lakeport City Council.
Supervisor Rob Brown said he knows Hill, who he said is a nice man, well educated, knows the community and is a retired county employee. “So this is not about him,” Brown said of wanting to not make the appointment right away.
Rather, Brown focused on the process, explaining that in his time on the board – which began two years after the annexation was finalized – the Board of Supervisors has never recommended two fire board members, and has never interviewed them. In speaking with officials from the city of Lakeport, he said they communicated it was the same for them.
“I don’t think the process has been followed,” he said, adding that the fire district board can operate with the vacancy while it’s studied further.
Brown asked Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison if a fire parcel tax measure was going on the March ballot. Hutchison said at that point he wasn’t sure, adding it could be put on the ballot in May, but he confirmed one was being put before voters.
Following up, Brown asked if the district was going to ask voters if the fire district board should be elected rather than appointed. Supervisor Tina Scott said she went to the fire board meeting last week, and district officials said they hadn’t discussed it.
Grant told board members that appointing fire district board members is not a discretionary function but a ministerial one. She said they could encourage the fire district to go to an election process, but they can’t order it.
Brown said he understood Grant’s point, but nonetheless was unwilling to make an appointment yet.
“There’s some real big problems in Lakeport with the fire district,” he said, explaining that what happens with Lakeport Fire will affect every other fire district in the county, especially the neighboring districts like Kelseyville.
Board Chair Jim Steele said Brown made good sense of the issue in laying it out, and added he felt it was important that the Board of Supervisors get the appointment right. As such, Steele also suggested deferring board action, adding he wanted Brown and Scott to sit down with the appropriate groups and come back with a solution.
Scott said she didn’t know what more they could clarify, and she didn’t see an issue with accepting the fire district’s appointment recommendation.
Brown moved to defer a decision, develop a committee to work with the fire district, the city of Lakeport and the Board of Supervisors and come up with a plan for filling the district board’s five seats by the start of the year. Supervisor Jeff Smith seconded the motion.
Scott then made her own motion to appoint Hill to the fire district board, which Supervisor Moke Simon seconded.
Steele called first for the vote on Scott’s motion, which failed, 2-3.
The vote on Brown’s motion passed, 3-2, with Scott and Simon voting no.
Steele asked for a followup discussion to be timed for early November.
Grant urged the board to focus on using that timeframe to clarify the circumstances of filling the fire board district seats. She also told the board that she didn’t think the matter was as difficult to resolve as it sounds.
Fire board applicant Greg Scott told the supervisors that it’s important to have people on the fire district board who understand how to lead and grow the district, support the chief and look into the future.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – At its Tuesday meeting, the Lake County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to the second agreement with Golden State Finance Authority, or GSFA, expanding assistance for Lake County residents affected by catastrophic fires.
Since 2016, GSFA has provided $1,050,000 in grant funds to assist county residents who lost their homes due to certain wildfires.
This latest amendment expands eligibility for the remaining grant funds to include residents who experienced housing instability as a result of any state or federally declared fire disaster in Lake County since Jan.1, 2015.
This opens up the funding to more fire victims and to those evacuees who suffered related financial loss that impaired their ability to obtain or maintain housing.
North Coast Opportunities is administering the grant funds for the county and is accepting applications for this grant.
Patty Bruder, NCO executive director, said she is pleased that GSFA has made these changes to the agreement.
“This amendment will make funding available to hundreds of current applicants that did not qualify under the previous terms of the grant,” Bruder said.
NCO’s Long Term Fire Recovery Office can be contacted by calling 707-994-2910.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson expressed gratitude to GSFA for its generosity and their willingness to expand the grant program to assist more Lake County residents who suffered losses due to wildfires.
Golden State Finance Authority was established in 1993 by the Rural County Representatives of California, a public service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties.
GSFA has distinguished itself as a leader in housing finance in California for more than two decades, helping more than 74,800 individuals and families purchase a home. It has provided more than $537.3 million in down payment assistance and participated in financing over $680 million in energy efficiency improvement projects.
Since 2016, GSFA has provided $1,050,000 in grant funds to assist county residents who lost their homes due to certain wildfires.
This latest amendment expands eligibility for the remaining grant funds to include residents who experienced housing instability as a result of any state or federally declared fire disaster in Lake County since Jan.1, 2015.
This opens up the funding to more fire victims and to those evacuees who suffered related financial loss that impaired their ability to obtain or maintain housing.
North Coast Opportunities is administering the grant funds for the county and is accepting applications for this grant.
Patty Bruder, NCO executive director, said she is pleased that GSFA has made these changes to the agreement.
“This amendment will make funding available to hundreds of current applicants that did not qualify under the previous terms of the grant,” Bruder said.
NCO’s Long Term Fire Recovery Office can be contacted by calling 707-994-2910.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson expressed gratitude to GSFA for its generosity and their willingness to expand the grant program to assist more Lake County residents who suffered losses due to wildfires.
Golden State Finance Authority was established in 1993 by the Rural County Representatives of California, a public service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties.
GSFA has distinguished itself as a leader in housing finance in California for more than two decades, helping more than 74,800 individuals and families purchase a home. It has provided more than $537.3 million in down payment assistance and participated in financing over $680 million in energy efficiency improvement projects.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Two men convicted of poaching for profit native succulents that grow wild on the bluffs of the Mendocino coast were sentenced Wednesday in the Mendocino County Superior Court to suspended prison time.
Minguk Cho, 27, and Hyeongjae Kim, 39, both of South Korea, were each convicted of grand theft of property valued at greater than $950, a felony, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office reported.
Following a sentence bargain negotiated and agreed to by the parties, each defendant was sentenced to 24 months in prison, with those prison sentences to be suspended pending successful completion of 36 months of formal probation.
As part of the sentence and in addition to court fines and fees, the defendants were required to pay – and did pay – $10,000 each to the California Fish and Wildlife for habitat restoration.
The defendants were also ordered to exit the United States within 48 hours and not return unless their immigration status allows one or both to do so legally. It is anticipated that each defendant will be denied re-entry due to their new felony theft convictions.
Authorities said the defendants were caught in March in the area between Point Arena and Anchor Bay with 30 moving boxes of native succulents known as Dudleya Farinosa.
An inventory of the boxes revealed 850 rooted plants with 1,400 rosettes. Together, the plants stolen weighed between 600 and 700 pounds.
The two poachers also had with them paperwork for vendors all over the world. According the investigator, “These people are global exotic plant vendors. I’d guess they’re not just in dudleyas but carnivorous plants deep in the jungle in Sumatra.”
The local plants can sell to collectors overseas starting at $50 each and going up from there.
The plants targeted by these poachers are also known as “bluff lettuce,” “powdery liveforever” (owing to the leaves’ dusty appearance) or simply “liveforever.”
The squat plants boast a geometric beauty reminiscent to some of the blossom of a lotus flower. In bloom, they sprout stalks, decked in clusters of small yellow flowers.
The prosecutors handling this case were District Attorney David Eyster and Deputy District Attorney Tim Stoen. The investigating law enforcement agency was the California Fish and Wildlife, with a special nod going to the arresting officer, Warden Patrick Freeling.
The judge who imposed sentencing today was Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman.
Minguk Cho, 27, and Hyeongjae Kim, 39, both of South Korea, were each convicted of grand theft of property valued at greater than $950, a felony, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office reported.
Following a sentence bargain negotiated and agreed to by the parties, each defendant was sentenced to 24 months in prison, with those prison sentences to be suspended pending successful completion of 36 months of formal probation.
As part of the sentence and in addition to court fines and fees, the defendants were required to pay – and did pay – $10,000 each to the California Fish and Wildlife for habitat restoration.
The defendants were also ordered to exit the United States within 48 hours and not return unless their immigration status allows one or both to do so legally. It is anticipated that each defendant will be denied re-entry due to their new felony theft convictions.
Authorities said the defendants were caught in March in the area between Point Arena and Anchor Bay with 30 moving boxes of native succulents known as Dudleya Farinosa.
An inventory of the boxes revealed 850 rooted plants with 1,400 rosettes. Together, the plants stolen weighed between 600 and 700 pounds.
The two poachers also had with them paperwork for vendors all over the world. According the investigator, “These people are global exotic plant vendors. I’d guess they’re not just in dudleyas but carnivorous plants deep in the jungle in Sumatra.”
The local plants can sell to collectors overseas starting at $50 each and going up from there.
The plants targeted by these poachers are also known as “bluff lettuce,” “powdery liveforever” (owing to the leaves’ dusty appearance) or simply “liveforever.”
The squat plants boast a geometric beauty reminiscent to some of the blossom of a lotus flower. In bloom, they sprout stalks, decked in clusters of small yellow flowers.
The prosecutors handling this case were District Attorney David Eyster and Deputy District Attorney Tim Stoen. The investigating law enforcement agency was the California Fish and Wildlife, with a special nod going to the arresting officer, Warden Patrick Freeling.
The judge who imposed sentencing today was Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman.