
Clearlake >> A woman reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint managed to escape and led officers to a residence where they discovered an illegal marijuana grow, cocaine and heroin.
Officers from the Clearlake Police Department arrested Ricky Roberts on multiple charges Sunday.
Responding to a battery report on the 15100 block of Lakeview Avenue police encountered a woman who said she was kidnapped from another county, Sgt. Martin Snyder said in a press release. The victim was allegedly forced to go to Clearlake at gunpoint by a man later identified as Oakland resident Roberts.
When they arrived in Clearlake, Roberts, 51, allegedly attempted to sexually assault the victim. She tried to resist, but Roberts discharged pepper spray/ mace type agent onto her face. Still, the victim was able to escape, run to a neighboring residence and request law enforcement be notified.
The victim reportedly told authorities that Roberts was at the neighboring residence with a firearm and that another individual may be being held against his or her will inside, Snyder said. She also alleged Roberts had a large quantity of suspected narcotics.
Officers went to the home and saw Roberts as he was attempting to escape over the rear fence, Snyder said. He was taken into custody without further incident.
While the officers were in the rear yard, they saw growing marijuana plants and a large caliber firearm Roberts allegedly attempted to hide. They conducted a protective sweep of the interior of the residence in an attempt to find more victims or suspects, but found no one else.
However, officers did discover during the sweep that portions of the interior of the residence had been converted to an indoor marijuana growing operation, Snyder said. Based on their observations the officers believed the residence was a commercial marijuana growing operation. CPD Detectives were notified and took over the investigation.
During the execution of a search warrant investigators reportedly found evidence of the sexual assault, Snyder said. Additionally, 72 growing marijuana plants and a dried and processed marijuana were found along with approximately 110 grams of cocaine, approximately 20 grams of heroin and other evidence indicative of the sales of narcotics.
Investigators quickly learned the suspect was a convicted felon with a prison term served for the sale of narcotics and not allowed to own or possess firearms or ammunition.
Roberts was also found to be in possession of roughly $5,800 in cash.
Based on the investigation, Roberts was arrested for the violations of kidnapping, false imprisonment, oral copulation, sodomy with force, use of a tear gas weapon, armed in the commission of a felony, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of narcotics for sale.
Roberts was booked into the Lake County jail with a bail of $300,000.
The cash found is believed to be processed from the sale of narcotics and seized pursuant to asset forfeiture proceedings authorized by the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.