Hemet Police Release Names Of Those Arrested in Major Sweep

Most of the suspects arrested in a multi-agency sweep in connection with attacks on Hemet police have lengthy rap sheets, court records showed today.

“The people we ended up arresting are not necessarily responsible for the attacks,” Hemet police Capt. David Brown said, although he added, “some of them may have been involved.”

The suspects were arrested Tuesday during a sweep of 35 places, and 17 were booked for alleged parole violations, weapons and drug offenses, according to Brown.

Law enforcement officers conducted the raids to seek information on those responsible for a series of recent attacks on Hemet police and city facilities.

Some of those arrested Tuesday have violent criminal histories and at least one was convicted of violating someone’s civil rights by force.

Joseph Matthew Zito, 29, who was booked on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, being a felon in possession of a firearm, gang membership and committing a crime while having a prison prior within five years. He was being held in lieu of $25,000 bail, pending a court appearance Friday.

Zito was convicted in 2003 of possessing a firearm or ammunition while on probation and in 2004 of assault with a deadly weapon, not a firearm, to produce great bodily injury. He received two-year terms for both convictions.

In 2009, he was convicted of unlawful use of tear gas and sentenced to 120 days in jail. He was acquitted in 2008 of assault, making criminal threats and gang activity.

James Robert Tielens Jr., 27, was booked on weapons, drugs and parole violation and held on a no-bail warrant. In 2007, Tielens was convicted of making terrorist threats and false imprisonment in a domestic violence case. He was sentenced to three years probation and six months in jail.

Also in 2007, Tielens was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, not a gun, to cause great bodily injury, and violating someone’s civil rights by force. Hate-crime allegations attached to the assault were stricken.

Tielens’ father, James Dean, 54, was booked on possession of a hypodermic needle or syringe, receiving stolen property and drug possession. He bailed out on $5,000 bond, pending a court appearance May 18.

He has spent three years in prison for shooting at an inhabited dwelling 20 years ago. He has an active vandalism case pending and a concealed weapons conviction from 1997 for which he received 36 months and violated probation at least three times.

Alfred Lee Morris, 48, who was arrested on parole violations and is being held on no bail, pleaded guilty in 2004 to making terrorist threats and misdemeanor assault with a weapon likely to produce great bodily injury in connection with domestic violence. He was sentenced to a year in jail. The rest of his prior cases are drug offenses.

Ronald Potter, 39, was arrested on suspicion of weapons, ammunition and parole violations. He is being held on a no bail warrant. He has no record of priors in this county.

Patrick Mike Nugent, 40, was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing, selling or possessing a martial arts weapon and probation violation. He is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail, pending a court appearance Friday. Nugent was convicted in 1998 and again in 2006 for manufacturing, selling or possessing an undetectable firearm. He was sentenced to six months weekend jail time and five years probation in 2006.

Ryan Lendon Stobaugh, 28, was arrested on drug and parole violations and was being held on a no-bail warrant.

He was convicted in 2002 on an auto theft charge, got 180 days in jail and three years probation, which he violated when he was found in possession of a firearm or ammunition in 2005. Probation was revoked and he was sentenced to eight months in jail.

Jessie Claire Marie Reynolds, 24, was booked on suspicion of possession of a deadly weapon. She made bond on $5,000 bail and is set for a court appearance May 18. There is no record of felony or misdemeanor convictions for Reynolds.

Darren James McGraw, 29, was booked on suspicion of driving on a suspended license, petty theft and failure to appear on a written promise. He was being held on no bail, pending a court appearance July 20.

McGraw was convicted of petty theft in 2006 and shoplifting in 2000 and spent five years on probation for those misdemeanors.

Christian Ray Lewis, 44, was booked on possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on no bail, pending a court appearance Friday.

In 1995, he was convicted of receiving stolen property and was sentenced to three years probation and 90 days in jail. In 1998, he was convicted of petty theft and received two years in prison. Since 1996, he has been in and out of jail on drug charges eight times, including this latest bust.

Anthony John Ross, 27, was booked on a parole violation. He was being held on a no-bail warrant.

In 2003 he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor burglary and received three years probation and 60 days weekend jail time. He violated probation and was sentenced to 57 more days in jail and probation was terminated early.

Rhonda Lynn Thomas, 34, was arrested on drug, weapon and probation violations. She was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Last October she was convicted of drug possession, possession of burglary tools, possession of a hypodermic needle or syringe and allegations of committing crimes on bail, convicted twice on a felony and having a prison prior within five years. She was sentenced to three years probation, a year in county jail and recommended attendance at a residential substance abuse treatment program.

Derrick Yates and Sheri Dillon were booked on parole violations. No record for them was found in the sheriff’s jail system.

Kelley Rae Jackson, 40, was booked on possession of a controlled substance and possession of a needle or syringe. She made bond on $5,000 bail, pending a court appearance May 20.

Jackson has misdemeanor drug, DUI and paraphernalia convictions stemming from 2001. She was sentenced to three years probation, 240 days in jail and attendance at a substance abuse outpatient clinic. She violated probation but it was reinstated.

Brandon Edward Garciduenas, 35, was booked on suspicion of possession of at least 28.5 grams of marijuana, a misdemeanor, and felony possession of a deadly weapon. He made bond on $5,000 bail, pending a court appearance May 18. He has no prior criminal history in Riverside County.

Christopher Richard Felber, 21, was book on parole violations. He was being held on a no-bail warrant. In 2007, Felber pleaded guilty to auto theft and was sentenced to three years probation and 120 days in jail.

Jon Felgen, Erin Kaiser, Ryan Gray, Keith Garron and Chris Burton were booked on misdemeanor warrants. Jarett Mejia was booked on suspicion of a probation violation.