Press Release:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is beginning to realize successes from the recently established Community Response Unit (CRU) Crime Tip Line. Acting on information from received “tip line” reports, Deputies assigned to the Sheriff’s Office CRU made arrests on two males in the 3700 block of Eel River Drive, Loleta and the arrest of one male in the 1700 block of Lime Avenue, McKinleyville.

The two males arrested in Loleta were Ronald Howard Myers (48) and Thomas Albert Smith (45), both residents of Loleta. The arrests were made on Monday December 5, 2011 at about 3:00 PM, after a Deputy noticed a suspicious vehicle both males occupied. Upon further investigation, Myers was found to have two (2) “may be cited and released” warrants for his arrest.

After the Deputy was told by the men there was marijuana in the vehicle, a search was conducted. Located in the vehicle were two (2) digital scales, dozens of unused small clear bags, six (6) used hypodermic syringes, silver spoon with a small cotton ball in the center of it, two (2) small plastic straws, three (3) used plastic bags with suspected trace amounts of methamphetamine and one (1) gram of suspected methamphetamine.

Myers and Smith were both arrested for suspicion of violating; possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, possession of hypodermic syringe and possession of one ounce or less of marijuana while driving. Both subjects were booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on the above charges.

Unrelated to the above, but again acting on information received on the “tip line”, Deputies from the CRU responded to a residence in the 1700 block of Lime Avenue, McKinleyville on Monday December 5, 2011 at about 10:00 AM. Located at that residence was Terre Joedean Odom (24), of McKinleyville. Odom was known by the Deputy to have active warrants for his arrest. An on scene warrant check of Odom revealed he had four (4) bench warrants for his arrest.

No contraband was found on Odom at the time of his arrest, but a green I-pod MP3 player was located in his pocket. Odom claimed that he found the I-pod in a dumpster the morning of his arrest. This I-pod was booked into the Sheriff’s Office Property Section as found property, in the event an I-pod with the same serial number is reported missing/stolen at a later date. Odom was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on the four (4) warrants.

Residents are encouraged to continue to utilize the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 707-268-2539.