May 1, 2019

BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DETECTIVES ARREST RAPE SUSPECT IN OROVILLE

Oroville, Ca—Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) recently had three victims come forward reporting to have been raped. The rapes occurred in February, March and April of this year. BCSO detectives began investigating the incidents and were able to link all three incidents to the same suspect. Each victim provided a similar description of the suspect’s vehicle. The victims all reported to have accepted rides from the suspect in the early evening hours. The victims were taken to secluded remote areas in South Oroville where the sexual assaults occurred. At the conclusion of the sexual assaults, each victim was released by the suspect.

Through the investigation, BCSO detectives were able to locate surveillance video of the suspect vehicle. With the help of the surveillance video, the suspect’s vehicle was located on April 30 at 7AM. Detectives followed the vehicle to the Maidu Mart gas station near Gold Country Casino, where detectives contacted Nicholas Snowden, age 25, of Oroville.

During the course of the investigation, Snowden was arrested for three counts of rape, 3 counts of oral copulation, 3 counts of false imprisonment and 1 count of sodomy. Snowden was booked into the Butte County Jail with a bail amount of $590,000.00.

BCSO Detectives are concerned that there may be additional victims that have not come forward. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the BCSO Investigations Unit at 538-7671. Snowden is known to have been driving a 2005 White GMC Yukon XL.

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Oroville, CA- On Friday, April 5, 2019, at approximately 12:40 p.m., Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) School Resource Officer (SRO) Jesse Nicholaw was on patrol in the area of Las Plumas High School in Oroville. Deputy Nicholaw located a vehicle parked in the staff campus parking lot matching the description of one that had been reported to school staff as being associated with the sales of edible gummy bears containing concentrated marijuana to students at Las Plumas High School. Deputy Nicholaw conducted a traffic stop, the driver was identified as Jacob Murray, age 20 of Oroville. During a search of the vehicle, Deputy Nicholaw located a dozen individually wrapped gummy bears containing concentrated marijuana. The labeling on the individual gummies was consistent with drugs packaged for sale at a marijuana dispensary. Next to the gummies were several denominations of loose crumpled bills, which is often consistent with the sales of narcotics. Murray was placed under arrest and charged with the sales of concentrated marijuana to a minor, a felony. He was booked into the Butte County Jail with bail set at $20,000.
The investigation is ongoing, and it is believed Murray may have been selling narcotics to other juveniles in the Oroville area. Anyone with information that may be related to this case is asked to contact SRO Jesse Nicholaw at (530) 538-7321. We would like to thank staff at Las Plumas High School for working so closely with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office and our School Resource Officer.
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April 4, 2019

BUTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DETECTIVES ARREST 25 YEAR OLD MALE FOR CONTACTING MINORS THROUGH ELECTRONICS

Chico, Ca—Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Detectives recently received information regarding a male subject by the name of Ryan “Rebel” McClure, age 25, from Chico, who was reported to have contacted minors through electronics in an effort to meet in person.

BCSO Detectives posed as a 13 year old girl and began communicating with McClure through social media accounts. McClure sent sexually suggestive comments and was attempting to meet, who he thought was a 13 year old girl, in person. Due to McClure currently being on parole, and registered as a sex offender, for the same charges, Detective Miller was able to track his GPS monitor and take him into custody.

McClure was arrested on charges of contacting a minor to commit a felony and sending harmful matter to seduce a minor.

This investigation remains open and active. Anyone with information, or who has been contacted by McClure, is urged to contact BCSO Investigations Unit at 530-538-7671.

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BCSO Community Relations Unit

530-871-9440

Palermo, CA- On Thursday, March 28, 2019, at approximately 3:11 a.m., Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) deputies responded to a residence on the 2400 block of Bohemia Avenue in Palermo on a report of a possible overdose. When deputies arrived on scene, they found a 47-year-old woman unresponsive. A witness on the scene reported the woman had recently used an unknown amount of heroin. The woman had a pulse but would not respond to verbal or physical stimuli, and the deputy noticed obvious signs of an opioid overdose. The deputy then retrieved his county issued NARCAN, which is a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The deputy administered one dose. The woman’s health began to improve within seconds and she began responding to verbal and physical stimuli. EMS responded to the scene moments later and the woman was transported to a local hospital where she was treated and released.
All BCSO deputies have been trained and certified to carry and administer the potentially lifesaving drug in overdose situations. NARCAN was provided to BCSO through a collaboration with Butte County Public Health.
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UPDATE: SUSPICIOUS PERSON SEEN ON BERRY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUS IDENTIFIED
Berry Creek, CA- On March 20, 2019, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) announced that through the investigative efforts of BCSO Designated Area Deputies Kenneth Bryant and Matthew Sandquist they were able to determine the identity of the subject seen on surveillance video at Berry Creek Elementary School on March 17, 2019. The subject is a 14-year-old boy who lives in the area. During questioning the juvenile admitted to being on the school grounds and being in possession of a pellet rifle. The juvenile denied any desire to harm anyone or any intent to plan an attack on the school. The juvenile stated he borrowed the pellet rifle from a friend and was using it to shoot at trees and cans. The deputies admonished the juvenile about taking a pellet rifle on school property and explained the concern such conduct can cause. The subject told deputies that his movements were based on reenactments from video games and movies he has watched. The case has been forwarded to Butte County Juvenile Probation for review by a juvenile probation officer. Deputies will continue to monitor the situation, but at this point BCSO does not believe there is an ongoing threat to the Berry Creek Elementary School or its students and facility. BCSO would like to thank school officials for their assistance and cooperation in this matter. The identity of the subject is not being released as he is a juvenile.


Original Press Release:
March 18, 2019
SUSPICIOUS PERSON SEEN ON BERRY CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUS
Berry Creek, CA- On Monday, March 18, 2019, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) received a call from a staff member of the Berry Creek Elementary School who reported a suspicious incident that occurred the previous day. The staff member stated the school’s video surveillance showed that around 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, 2019, a subject who appeared to be armed with a rifle, jumped the fence and entered the campus. The subject moved around the campus and appeared to be surveilling the location. Concerned that the subject was preparing for a future attack, school officials immediately contacted BCSO.
Six BCSO deputies and a sergeant responded to the school to ensure the safety of the students who were then present and investigate the suspicious incident. Upon reviewing the surveillance video, deputies noted that the subject appears to be a white male, between 15 and 20 years of age. He was dressed in dark clothing and had a large, dark backpack. The subject was armed with what appears to be a small caliber rifle or pellet gun, with a scope attached to it. The subject spent approximately 15 minutes on campus. The subject moved about the campus and appears to be surveilling it from different points.
Deputies checked the area around the school of additional signs of the subject. School officials opted to cancel school activities for the remainder of the day. BCSO is actively investigating the incident and plans to have deputies in the area of the school, while school is in session, until the subject can be identified and located or other security measures can be implemented by the school. Anyone with information about this incident or who knows the identity of the person is urged to contact BCSO at (530) 538-7322.