Officers of the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force discovered what appeared to be a methamphetamine lab on a ranch north of Willits Wednesday, Feb. 20, while arresting a man wanted for the assault and kidnapping of a man in Clearlake in December 2007.
At 4 a.m. Wednesday, MMCTF officers drove to the home north of Willits on information that Anthony Cape, 41, of Willits would be found there, said MMCTF Commander Bob Nishiyama.
While serving the arrest warrant, officers found glassware and chemicals that indicate that Cape had been operating a methamphetamine lab.
“He”s a known cook,” Nishiyama said.
Nishiyama said methamphetamine labs in Mendocino County are becoming more prevalent due to crackdowns on the drug in Mexico.
Until recently, Nishiyama said it was easier and safer to cook methamphetamine across the border, but a crackdown on transportation across the border has caused new labs to pop-up again in California.
“It used to be easier to buy it,” Nishiyama said. “Now it”s easier to cook.”
Cape has been on the run for two months, wanted on warrants for assault and kidnapping connected to the Dec. 4 2007 attack on a Clearlake man.
“He has run on several occasions from law enforcement and bail bondsmen,” Nishiyama said.
Nishiyama said Cape, along with James Miller, 20 and Priest Martinez, 34, allegedly drove out to Clearlake to settle a score with the victim back in December.
Nishiyama said the victim had found five pounds of marijuana that got lost while being delivered from Willits to Sacramento but only returned three pounds to the owners, keeping the other two pounds as a “finder”s fee.”
The owner of the marijuana then allegedly sent Cape, Martinez and Miller after the victim.
The three men allegedly kidnapped the victim, beat him, restrained him with zip ties and left him locked in the trunk of a car north of Clearlake. The victim later escaped and identified his attackers to Clearlake police officers.
Miller and Martinez were arrested soon after, but Cape remained at large until his arrest Wednesday.Nishiyama said Cape will be booked into jail on warrants for kidnapping and assault causing great bodily injury as well as on suspicion of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Ben Brown can be reached at udjbb@pacific.net.
