May 26, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office Announces Arrest of Chico Resident for Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Today the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) announced the arrest of Matthew Dorenzo, of Chico, 37. On May 23, around 12:30 AM, BCSO contacted a victim at a local Butte County Hospital. The victim reported he had been assaulted with an axe in the Butte Meadows area. Deputies noticed the victim had a large wound in his chest area. The victim received emergency treatment and was admitted to a local hospital. The victim is currently in stable condition.
Deputies and detectives drove to the Butte Meadows area and contacted additional victims in the area where the assault occurred. Deputies and detectives located a large crime scene next to Butte Creek. BCSO personnel processed the crime scene, while detectives conducted interviews with the other involved parties.
After interviewing witnesses and other involved parties, detectives identified the person who struck the victim with the axe as Matthew Dorenzo. Detectives immediately authored an arrest warrant for Dorenzo, which was signed by a Butte County Superior Court Judge. Detectives determined Dorenzo was associated with a residence in both Chico and Oroville.
Around 7:30 AM on May 23, detectives saw Dorenzo’s vehicle in the area of the Oroville residence where they were conducting surveillance. Detectives followed Dorenzo’s vehicle and patrol deputies conducted a traffic enforcement stop on the vehicle. Dorenzo was placed under arrest without incident. After the traffic enforcement stop, detectives located additional witnesses who confirmed Dorenzo was the individual who struck the victim with the axe.
Dorenzo was arrested for one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, one felony count of making criminal threats, and one felony count of battery. Dorenzo was booked into the Butte County Jail on May 23. After reviewing the facts in the arrest warrant, a Butte County Superior Court Judge set Dorenzo’s bail status as no bail until Dorenzo attends further court proceedings. Dorenzo is scheduled to be arraigned at the Butte County Superior Court on Wednesday May 27, at 3:00 PM. This investigation is ongoing. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information to contact Detectives Zach Price or Tristan Harper at 530-538-7671.
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May 22, 2020
BCSO Deputies Safely Subdue a Violent Subject
Chico, CA- On Thursday, May 21, 2020, Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Deputies Botts and Rubinoff were dispatched to a home in north Chico, after reports that a man was having a mental health episode. The man was acting erratically and was in possession of a knife and was actively cutting himself. The reporting party also stated to dispatchers the man had attempted to stab a dog at the residence as well.
Deputy Rubinoff was the first to arrive on scene, followed by Deputy Botts. The man was in possession of the knife. Deputy Rubinoff remained calm and gave clear instructions to the man to drop the weapon. The man did not comply with Deputy Rubinoff’s attempts to de-escalate the situation. Deputy Botts drew his department issued taser and began giving instructions to the man to drop the knife. The man began walking towards Deputy Rubinoff and Deputy Botts. Deputy Botts deployed the taser, striking the man in the leg. After the taser was deployed the man threw the knife at Deputy Rubinoff, narrowly missing him. The deputies were then able to take the man into custody. The man later admitted to the deputies that he was attempting to hit them when he threw the knife.
The man was booked into the Butte County Jail for obstructing or resisting a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and felony animal cruelty. He is scheduled to undergo a mental health evaluation.
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May 22, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office Announces Arrest of Oroville Residents for Child Endangerment
Oroville, CA – In May of 2020, Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) deputies began investigating a burglary that occurred in the Gridley area. During the investigation Zachariah Odom of Oroville, 27, was identified as a suspect in the burglary investigation.
On May 20 deputies and detectives served a search warrant at Odom’s residence, which is located in the 1600 block of 20th Street, Oroville. During the service of the search warrant deputies and detectives contacted Zachariah Odom, Mabel Dahl of Oroville, age 70, and four children all under the age of six.
During a search of the residence detectives located numerous evidence items to include methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a handgun. The methamphetamine was located in an area accessible to the children. The residence was in deplorable condition and was not safe for children. Odom was placed under arrest for felony child endangerment, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, and for a felony probation violation. Dahl was placed under arrest for felony child endangerment and for possession of methamphetamine.
All four children were detained by detectives. During an interview Odom admitted to participating in the Gridley burglary. The burglary case is still under investigation and will be forwarded to the Butte County District Attorney’s Office for review when completed. The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information to contact Detective Brian Parsons at 530-538-7671.
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May 20, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team Arrests Fugitive from Nebraska
Thermalito, CA- On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) was contacted by the U.S. Marshals Service regarding a subject, identified as Johnathon Earth, age 38 of Winnebago, Nebraska, who was wanted in South Dakota for a stabbing that occurred on May 7, 2020. After the stabbing, Earth fled South Dakota. The U.S. Marshals Service received information Earth had family connections in the Oroville area and developed further information that he was staying at a home on Vaquero Drive in Thermalito. BCSO deputies conducted surveillance on the home and confirmed Earth was there.
On Wednesday, May 20, 2020, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, along with members of the U.S. Marshals Service served an arrest warrant at the home on Vaquero Drive. Several people from the home were detained and later released. Earth did not come out of the home and remained inside for approximately one hour while SWAT team members made numerous announcements over the PA system for him to come out. At approximately 10:20 a.m., SWAT team members made entry into the home and found Earth hiding inside a clothes dryer. He was placed under arrest and then taken into custody by U.S. Marshals without further incident.
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May 8, 2020
Butte County Sheriff’s Office Announces Arrests Related to Burglary Investigations
Oroville, CA – In December of 2019, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Felony Investigations Unit and the BCSO Marine Unit began investigating two vehicle burglaries that occurred at the Monument Hill Recreation Area, Oroville. During the burglary investigations deputies determined a firearm was stolen. Deputies were also able to locate DNA evidence.
In April of 2020, deputies and detectives began investigating additional vehicle burglaries that occurred near Lime Saddle Marina, Oroville. During the investigation deputies were able to locate additional DNA evidence. Detectives conducted additional follow-up and were able to locate video surveillance of the suspect vehicle.
Based on the investigation detectives obtained arrest warrants for Mark Kelley of Oroville, 34, and Jason Triplett of Oroville, 43. BCSO obtained an ANDE DNA machine in 2018. The ANDE DNA machine allows for rapid DNA, which is the generation of a DNA ID to identify DNA within hours. Detectives were able to use the ANDE DNA machine in this investigation to link Kelley to the burglaries in 2019 and 2020.
On May 5, members of the Felony Investigations Unit and the Marine Unit served a search warrant at Kelley’s residence, which is located in the 1900 block of Greenville Street, Oroville. During the service of the search warrant Kelley, Tami McPhun of Oroville, 38, and Tonya West of Oroville, 59, were contacted.
During a search of the residence multiple evidence items were located to include stolen property, a stolen Oroville Fire Department portable radio, methamphetamine, and approximately five firearms. One of the firearms had been reported as stolen from a vehicle burglary in Glenn County. Kelley was placed under arrest for numerous charges to include multiple counts of burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine for sale, and for committing a felony while released on OR/Bail. West was arrested for multiple charges to include possession of brass knuckles, possession of an illegal baton, possession of stolen property, and possession of firearms with serial numbers removed. McPhun was arrested for possession of stolen property, and for possession of methamphetamine for sale. Detectives are still attempting to locate Triplett. Triplett has an active felony warrant for his arrest.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information or who was the victim of a vehicle burglary at a boat launch area to contact Detective Zach Price at 530-538-7671.
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