LAKEPORT — Judge Richard C. Martin sentenced Ricky Lee Johnson to 240 years in prison Monday for multiple felony charges. A jury found Johnson guilty on 13 counts Oct. 26. The various counts included felony kidnapping, robbery, burglary, grand theft, and possession of a firearm by a felon. These crimes were also found to have been committed with a firearm.
The sentence of 240 years was handed down, in part, because the jury determined that Johnson had previously committed two violent felonies, which makes this case his third strike under California law.
These convictions stem from an incident that occurred May 24, 2006, where two female victims were forced at gunpoint to leave their cabin after interrupting a burglary.
According to a Lake County Sheriff”s media release, a 911 caller stated she and her girlfriend had likely interrupted a burglary to their cabin on Pack Saddle Trail Road, in the Lake Pillsbury area. Upon entering the residence, it was apparent that someone had been inside taking a large amount of their property.
One of the female victims, after finding a rifle that had been left on the floor by the burglar, began to load the weapon out of fear, according to the sheriffs” press release.
One of the suspects then jumped down from the cabin”s loft area holding a high-powered rifle. The female victim attempted to shoot the suspect but hadn”t yet loaded her rifle. She then grabbed the suspect”s rifle, attempting to take it away from him. The suspect eventually gained control over the victims, and then forced them at gunpoint to walk down to a creek away from the cabin. The suspect then released them, and they fled on foot to an unknown location.
Two days later, one of the victims was on foot checking the remote area of her property for any of her stolen property. She came across a makeshift camp, which had some of her property including a backpack containing a wallet. Opening the wallet, she looked at the California Identification Card inside and recognized the picture as the suspect who had held them at gunpoint. The victim called the Lake County Sheriffs Dispatch Center. Deputies already in the area arrived to contact the victim and her husband. As they approached the makeshift camp, they passed a white male adult walking alone. The female victim identified the man as the suspect. Deputies took him into custody without incident.
Johnson admitted kidnapping the victims during the cabin burglary at gunpoint. Through a records check, deputies learned that Johnson had just gotten out of prison and was a parolee at large. Deputies went to the camp and recovered a small amount of the stolen property.
Lake County detectives extensively interviewed Johnson who revealed the identity of two other suspects involved in the burglary Tommy Nace and Kay Melinda Ramseyer, both of Upper Lake, have pleaded guilty and were also sentenced to prison.
Brian Kenner was the lead detective in the case. Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson was the prosecutor. Johnson was represented by attorney Ken Roush.
Contact Rene Morales at rmorales@record-bee.com.
