Press Release

PEOPLE V. HARRIS, KEITH- Defendant was convicted of a felony violation of Penal Code sections 245(c), Assault on a Peace Officer with a Deadly Weapon on Officers Carmon and Carrillo of the Orland Police Department with a Strike and 245(a)(1), Assault on a Deadly Weapon, to wit the Concrete Floor, with admission of a Strike Prior. Defendant was sentenced to 12 years state prison. This case was prosecuted by DA Stewart with assistance from Orland Police Department Officers Carmon, Carrillo, Mills, Roenspie, and Sergeant Vlach, Glenn County Sheriff's Office Detective Felton and Deputies Draper, Lemmon, Kelso, Martinez, Corbin, and Jacinto. 

PEOPLE V. DEARING, SHAWN- Defendant was convicted of a misdemeanor violation of Penal Code section 594(a), Vandalism. Defendant was also on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) and was found in violation of PRCS and in violation of probation on a separate misdemeanor case. Defendant was sentenced to 164 days in county jail, PRCS was terminated, 40 hours of community service, and 3 years court probation. The full $1,575.17 in restitution was paid back to the victim. The case was prosecuted by DDA Neumann with assistance from Glenn County Sheriff's Office Correctional Deputy Mencia and Lt. Bouldin.

PEOPLE V. JOHNSON, PAUL- Defendant was convicted of felony violations of Penal Code section 666.5, Vehicle Theft with Prior Vehicle Theft, and Vehicle Code section 2800.2, Reckless Evasion, and enhancements for a prior strike conviction and a prior prison term. Defendant was sentenced to 6 years and 4 months in state prison. The case was prosecuted by DDA Harbarger with assistance from California Highway Patrol Officer Stokes and Redding Police Department Officer Stenderup.

PAROLE DENIED!

PEOPLE V. GARY LEWIS COOPER - On August 21, 1993, Inmate Cooper and his accomplices murdered Filiberto Mendoza. The victim was shot in the head twice, execution style, after being lured to Stony Creek northeast of Orland. Inmate Cooper admitted he received drugs and money in exchange for murdering Filiberto Mendoza. Cooper was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison in 1994.

Inmate Cooper was initially granted parole by the California Parole Board in October of 2015 over the objection of the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office. Shortly thereafter Inmate Cooper violated his parole and was placed back in prison in 2017.

On January 6, 2021, a 4th subsequent parole hearing was held for Inmate Cooper since being returned to state prison. The board ruled that Inmate Cooper continued to pose an unreasonable risk to public safety and denied parole. DDA Coffey attended the hearing by video conference to San Quentin State Prison to oppose Inmate Cooper’s release on behalf of the People of Glenn County. The Glenn County District Attorney’s Office thanks the family of Mr. Mendoza for the powerful letters in opposition to parole which were considered by the parole board.

PEOPLE V. KYLE CHRISTOPER MINGS-  Defendant was convicted of felony violations of Penal Code sections 459, First Degree Residential Burglary and Vehicle Code section 2800.2, Evading a Peace Officer and was previously convicted of a felony violation of Health and Safety Code section 11366.5, Managing a Place for Controlled Substances. Defendant was sentenced to 5 years 4 months prison and ordered to pay $50,862.55. This case was prosecuted by ADA Neumann with assistance from Glenn County Sheriff's Office Sergeants Draper and Felon, Deputy Thompson, Detective Lopeteguy, and CHP Willows Officers Cushman and Willows.  

PEOPLE V. LOKEY, JOHN- Defendant was convicted of a felony violation of Penal Code section 69, Resist a Peace Officer with Force/Violence. Defendant was sentenced to 3 years prison. This case was prosecuted by DA Coffey with assistance from Orland Police Department Cessna.

PEOPLE V. FUENTES, MARTIN-  Defendant was previously convicted of a felony violation of Penal Code Section 487(a) Grand Theft over $950 and a new misdemeanor violation of Penal Code section 148(a)(1), Resist Obstruct Delay Police Officer. Defendant was found in violation of probation for the 3^rd time. Defendant was sentenced to 3 years prison. This case was prosecuted by DDA Coffey with assistance from Glenn County Sheriff's Office Deputy Ramirez and Glenn County Probation Department Officer Moize.

PEOPLE V. PORTER, FREDDIE- Defendant was previously convicted of misdemeanor violations of Penal Code sections 422, Criminal Threats, 273a(a), Child Endangerment, and 243(e)(1), Battery on Mother of Child. Defendant was found in violation of probation for the 1st time. Defendant was sentenced to 110 days jail and probation was reinstated.  This case was prosecuted by DDA Neumann with assistance from Glenn County Sheriff's Office Deputy Thompson and Glenn County Probation Department Officer Garcia.

PEOPLE V. FERNANDO GARCIA-  Defendant, 22-year-old from Orland, CA, was convicted of a felony violation of Penal Code section 192(a), Voluntary Manslaughter. On or about November 24, 2017 the Orland Police Department responded to the sound of shots fired in the area of Date Street and Rennat Way. The victims were invited over to buy guns from the Defendant and Co-Defendant Ricardo Garcia. One victim, Luis Mercado, was shot in the leg and was transported to Enloe Medical Center. The officers learned there was a second victim, Javier Montalvo, found deceased in the garage of the residence at the scene of the crime. Defendant was sentenced to 11 years state prison. The case was prosecuted by DA Stewart with assistance from Orland Police Department Officers Simpson and Mills, Sergeants Johnson and Cessna, and Chief Vlach, CHP Willows, and Glenn County Sheriff's Office Deputies Barnes and Zarate, and Lt. Gibbs. 

PEOPLE V. COX, ANTHONY- Defendant was convicted by a jury of a felony violation of Vehicle Code section 10851(a), Vehicle Theft, misdemeanor violations of Vehicle Code section 20002(a), Hit and Run Property Damage, Penal Code section 148(a)(1), Resist, Obstruct, Delay an Officer, and Health and Safety Code section 11377(a), Possession of Methamphetamine, and a prior strike conviction. Defendant was sentenced to 6 years in state prison. The case was prosecuted by DA Stewart with assistance from California Highway Patrol Officer Horwath, Glenn County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Gibbs, the employees of Willows Glass, and the employees of Glenn County Irrigation District.

PEOPLE V. ROBERT MCDONALD - Defendant was convicted of a misdemeanor violation of Penal Code section 236, False Imprisonment.  Defendant was sentenced to 364 days jail. This case was prosecuted by DDA Coffey with assistance from Orland Police Officer Fullmore.

PEOPLE v. STUDYVIN, LAWRENCE- Defendant was previously convicted of a felony violation of Penal Code section 666.5, Vehicle Theft with a Prior conviction of Vehicle Theft. Defendant was re-sentenced to 7 years and 4 months in prison. The case was prosecuted by DA Stewart with assistance from Orland Police Department Officers Mills and Ayres.
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PAROLE DENIED!
PEOPLE V. ELLESBURY, CLARENCE - In 1992, Inmate Clarence Vern Ellesbury was convicted of Penal Code section 187, Second-Degree Murder for killing his wife. The murder occurred when Ellesbury learned his wife had been unfaithful to him and he responded by strangling her to death with his bare hands. Ellesbury then packed her deceased body and her children into the car and drove to a remote location to dump her body. Please see the attached 1991 Press Release photo for more information on the facts of the case. The Glenn County Sheriff's Office then Detective Buxton and then Officer Randall (who later became mayor of Orland, California) later arrested Ellesbury when he attempted to return to his wife’s body with plans to conceal/dispose of it further in order to cover up his crimes. This case was originally prosecuted by DA Bob Holzapfel. Inmate Ellesbury was sentenced to 15 years to life and has had parole granted at the last 2 parole hearings. However, in reviewing the last 2 decisions to release Inmate Ellesbury, the Governor overrode the Parole Board’s decision and has kept Inmate Ellesbury in prison. A primary reason for a denial is that this Inmate continued to pose an unreasonable risk to the public.
On June 17th 2020, a 3rd parole hearing was held for Inmate Ellesbury at Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) in Tracy, California. DDA Coffey attended the hearing on behalf of the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office to argue against the Inmate’s release on parole. After nearly 3 hours of testimony and deliberations, the Parole Board voted to deny Inmate Ellesbury’s parole for 3 years.

PEOPLE V. VILLASENOR-OROZCO, BARTOLO - Defendant was convicted of a felony violation of Penal Code section 288(a), Lewd and Lascivious Acts on a Child Under 14, to wit a 9 year old. Defendant was sentenced to 6 years state prison. This case was prosecuted by ADA Neumann with assistance from Glenn County Sheriff's Office Deputy Lemmon.