Clearlake Oaks >> Officers discovered concentrated cannabis in red rubber tray hidden beneath a child’s booster seat, along with several more pounds of marijuana and methamphetamine during a vehicle stop on Thursday.
Although Matthew Alan Labrash of Lakeport, told deputies the marijuana was for his own personal use, he was placed in custody along with another man, Fred Ralph Pearl of Upper Lake.
The incident began when a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy on routine patrol in the Clearlake Oaks area Thursday evening noticed a gray Chevrolet Impala idling in the middle of the road in the 100 block of Schindler Street, Lt. Steve Brooks reported. The deputy ran a records check which revealed that it was reported stolen.
He contacted the front passenger seat, identified as 41-year-old Labrash, as well as 35-year-old Pearl, who was at a nearby home. Pearl allegedly admitted to being the owner and the driver of the vehicle, according to Brooks. Pearl said he purchased the vehicle from a woman for $5,500, but was unable to provide a telephone number or any additional information concerning the woman or paperwork showing he was the current owner.
The deputy noticed the vehicle was a 2015 model and that it was registered to a rental company in Southern California. When he asked Pearl if he suspected the vehicle might be stolen, Pearl allegedly replied that he thought he just got a great deal.
A second deputy arrived on scene to assist with the investigation. During a pat search of Labrash, one of the deputies allegedly found a glass methamphetamine pipe concealed in one of his socks. While the deputies were standing at the passenger side of the vehicle talking to Labrash, they could reportedly smell the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle, Brooks said.
Inside the trunk deputies found a black plastic trash bag which contained four separate bags of processed marijuana. They also located a clear one-gallon bag in the center console which also contained processed marijuana. In the back seat of the vehicle beneath a child’s booster seat, the deputies found what they believe to be a large amount of concentrated cannabis.
Total, they reportedly found and seized a total of 3.5 pounds of processed marijuana and 2.38 pounds of concentrated cannabis from inside the vehicle and 2.2 grams of methamphetamine from the glass pipe.
Labrash faces charges of possession of marijuana for sale, transportation of marijuana, possession of concentrated cannabis, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. Pearl faces charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and for committing a felony while out on bail.
Both were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
