April 3, 2020

BCSO Special Enforcement Unit Eradicates 1,354 Marijuana Plants

Yankee Hill, CA- On April 2, 2020, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Special Enforcement Unit served a search warrant on a property located on Rich Gulch Road, in Yankee Hill. Upon service of the search warrant, deputies encountered two male suspects sleeping inside a makeshift cabin. Both suspects were detained without incident.

Deputies discovered the suspects had been tending to marijuana plants which were being grown inside eight large greenhouses. In total, deputies eradicated 1,354 marijuana plants from the grow sites and found evidence that the property had been used for the cultivation of marijuana previously.

Arrested at the scene were Juan Cortez, age 24, from Honduras, for illegal cultivation of marijuana, and possession of marijuana for sale. Nelzon Ramirez, age 33, from Honduras, was also arrested for illegal cultivation of marijuana, and possession of marijuana for sale. Both suspects were booked into the Butte County Jail.
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April 3, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office Announces Arrests Related to Paving Scam
Oroville, CA - Over the past several days the Butte County Sheriff’s Office has received multiple reports from residents about a driveway repaving scam. After reviewing reports and contacting victims, detectives determined a paving crew was presenting themselves as employees of A-1 Asphalt Company. The crew would approach mainly senior citizens at their homes. The crew told victims they had hot asphalt left over from a previous job and could repave their driveways for free or at a discounted price. In multiple incidents, the crew gave the victims one price, started the work and then demanded additional money from the victims far exceeding the original price quote. All of the work performed was sub-par and will need to be redone. Detectives determined the crew responsible for the scam had performed paving work in Chico, Magalia, and Oroville.
On the morning of April 2, deputies and detectives determined the crew responsible for the scam was possibly staying in a motel room in Oroville. Detectives authored a search warrant for the motel room affiliated with the crew and conducted surveillance of the motel. Around 2:00 PM detectives witnessed three individuals enter the suspect’s motel room. The individuals appeared to be removing items from the motel room. Detectives detained the individuals and served a search warrant at the motel room. During the service of the search warrant detectives located over $100,000 in cash, two trailers with paving equipment in the motel parking lot, and evidence to support the three individuals were involved in the aforementioned paving scam.
Detectives identified one of the individuals as Patrick Connors of the United Kingdom, age 18. The two other individuals accompanying Connors were 17 year-old juveniles, also from the United Kingdom. Detectives determined Connors and the two juveniles had traveled to the Butte County area for the purpose of participating in the aforementioned paving scam. Connors and the two juveniles were attempting to remove the $100,000 from their motel room when they were contacted by law enforcement. The $100,000 is believed to be proceeds from the aforementioned paving scam.
Detectives arrested Connors for conspiracy to commit grand theft and elder abuse, for contracting without a license, and for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One of the juveniles was arrested for grand theft, elder abuse, conspiracy, and contracting without a license. The other juvenile was arrested for conspiracy to commit grand theft and elder abuse, and for contracting without a license. Detectives determined the crew was performing the aforementioned paving scam at multiple locations in California to include in the Sacramento region. Detectives also located evidence the crew had been in the Redding area.
Based on past experience, detectives know these types of scams are typically committed by transient or unlicensed companies that offer driveway repaving services. The subjects will contact residents, while specifically targeting seniors, and offer to repave their driveway for free or at a discounted rate through a verbal estimate. After completing a sub-par job, payment is demanded that typically far exceeds the original verbal estimate. BCSO encourages all residents to check the validity of contractors on the Contractors’ State Licensing Board website at www.cslb.ca.gov, prior to having any work performed by a contractor.
This investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information to contact Sergeant Pat McNelis, Detective Jake Smith, or Detective Joe Hooks at 530-538-7671.
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March 30, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office Announces Arrest of Palermo Resident for Unlawful Sexual Contact with a Minor
Today the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) announced the arrest of Jagvir Singh, of Palermo, age 23. The arrest was the culmination of an investigation that began in September 2019. On October 8, 2019, Singh was placed under arrest in Sacramento by the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. After the arrest, Singh admitted to traveling to Chico, meeting with a minor victim, and having unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor victim.
Singh was arrested for three felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, and an additional three felony counts of contacting a minor with the intent to have unlawful sexual intercourse. On the evening of October 8, 2019, Butte County Sheriff’s detectives booked Singh into the Butte County Jail. Singh later posted bail and was released from jail. During the court proceedings, a Butte County Superior Court Judge issued an order preventing Singh from contacting the aforementioned minor victim.
On March 25, 2020, detectives received information Singh had contacted the aforementioned minor victim, and was with the minor victim at an unknown location. Detectives immediately obtained an arrest warrant for Singh and began looking for Singh and the minor victim. Detectives located Singh and the minor victim in the Paradise area on March 25. Detectives determined Singh had taken the minor victim to a local motel and had unlawful sexual contact with the minor victim. At the time of his arrest, Singh was in possession of approximately $19,000 and stolen identification cards. During the investigation detectives located evidence which indicated Singh was planning on leaving California with the minor victim.
Singh was placed under arrest for the following charges: One felony count of contacting a minor with the intent to have sex with the minor, one felony count of meeting a minor with the intent to have sex with the minor, one felony count of oral copulation on a minor, one felony count of committing a felony while released on bail, one felony count of child endangerment, and one misdemeanor count of violation of a court order.
During the investigation detectives determined Singh had moved to the Palermo area and had been residing at a residence in the 7000 block of Lincoln Blvd. for the past few months. On March 27, detectives served a search warrant at the aforementioned residence and located additional evidence.
A Butte County Superior Court Judge reviewed a declaration documenting Singh’s March 26 arrest and set Singh’s bail status as no bail until Singh attends further court proceedings. This investigation is ongoing. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information to contact Detective Brian Parsons at 530-538-7671.

March 26, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office Conducting Homicide Investigation
Magalia, CA – On March 26, 2020, at approximately 11:50 a.m., the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received a call from a resident in the 14000 block of Carnegie Road, Magalia. The resident reported a neighbor entered their residence and assaulted two of the homeowners. BCSO deputies arrived on scene and contacted the residents. Two of the residents were injured and one was later transported to a local hospital by BCSO. While clearing the inside of the residence, deputies located an unresponsive male subject. Medical personnel immediately responded and provided first aid to the unresponsive male subject. Medical personnel and deputies eventually determined the male subject was deceased. Deputies determined the deceased subject was the neighbor who entered the residence without permission.
Detectives arrived on scene and obtained a search warrant for the residence. The homeowners have been cooperative with detectives and are currently being interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office. Based on the initial investigation, detectives determined the aforementioned unidentified male subject entered the homeowner’s residence without consent and a struggle ensued. Detectives are still in the process of interviewing witnesses and processing evidence.
The identification of the deceased subject will be released once his next of kin is located. This is an ongoing investigation. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this investigation to contact Detective Joe Hooks at 530-538-7671.
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March 23, 2020
Butte County Superior Court Suspends Evictions in Butte County
Oroville, CA- On March 23rd 2020, based upon an application from Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea, the Butte County Superior Court issued an order suspending the execution of all Writs of Possession for real property through May 31st 2020. A Writ of Possession is the order which directs the Sheriff to restore real property to the landlord or lawful owner – this action is commonly referred to an eviction or lockout.
The Sheriff made the decision to apply for such an order in light of the Federal, State and locally declared State of Emergency, extremely limited access to the Butte County courts, the interests of public health and safety, along with the Governor’s Executive Orders.
The stay order does not explicitly waive any duty to pay rent. Tenants facing eviction should seek competent legal advice regarding their duty to pay rent and any financial liability they may incur by their actions. Tenants facing eviction should note that the stay is only temporary and they should not cease making future living arrangements and/or communicating with landlords or property owners.
It should be noted that the stay does not affect the service or processing of unlawful detainer actions – this order only temporarily suspends the physical enforcement of evictions. Any eviction service packets received by the Sheriff will be processed and scheduled in the order they were received, upon the stay being lifted.
The Sheriff specifically requested the court to consider issuing exemption orders on a case-by-case basis for tenants causing substantial property damage or in situations constituting a public safety and health hazard. Furthermore, restraining orders, domestic violence prevention orders, elder abuse prevention orders and any associated “immediate move-out orders” are unaffected by this stay and will be enforced.
For further information, please refer to the order issued by the Butte County Superior Court on March 23rd 2020.
Due to this order being signed today by the Butte County Superior Court, item 4.03 (Resolution Imposing Substantive Limitations on Residential and Commercial Evictions Due to COVID-19) on the Butte County Board of Supervisors Agenda for tomorrow, March 24, 2020, has been removed.