12 People Arrested After 10-Month Investigation Into Drug Sales at Two Arcata Bars

This is a press release from the Arcata Police Department:

Arcata Police Department APDArcata, CA, Tuesday – The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), in partnership with the Humboldt County Drug Task Force and Arcata Police Department (APD), have arrested 12 individuals in connection with a ten-month long investigation of activities surrounding two ABC licensed premises in Arcata.

In February 2018, authorities arrested nine patrons and three employees in connection with the Sidelines Sports Bar and Toby & Jacks Bar, both located on the 9th Street block of Arcata’s Plaza.

Arrests made were for sales and possession of illegal drugs, facilitation of drug sales, outstanding warrants, conspiracy, driving under the influence and weapons violations. One suspect is currently at large with a warrant issued for arrest, and the suspect is not believed to be in Humboldt County.

Due to heightened concern about public safety on the plaza, and specific concerns regarding drug sales on the plaza from the community and local businesses, ABC, the Humboldt County Drug Task Force and APD, initiated this investigation in 2017. In recent months, ABC Agents conducted an undercover investigation to develop the information leading up to the arrests.

During the investigation, undercover ABC Agents were able to purchase illegal drugs with assistance from bar employees and bar patrons on multiple occasions. Agents confiscated cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, ecstasy and a “psychedelic” schedule one narcotic known as DMT or Dimethyltryptamine. The methamphetamine is known as MDMA or methylenedioxy/methamphetamine.

In addition, ABC has filed accusations against both licensed businesses. The penalties could range from fines to the revocation of the licenses. More information will be provided when it becomes available.

As in all cases, persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. While arrests have been made, this remains an open and active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Arcata Police Department at 707-822-2424.

About ABC – ABC protects communities through education and by administering prevention and enforcement programs designed to increase compliance with California’s alcoholic beverage laws. To learn more about ABC programs that help protect communities, prevent alcohol-related harm and potentially save lives visit https://www.abc.ca.gov/programs/programs_PE.html. ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

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20 Comments
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binbeareda4
Guest
binbeareda4
5 years ago

circle the wagons and burn’em down down,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Ralph
Guest
Ralph
5 years ago

Why the press release almost 2 months after it happened???

Kym Kemp
Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  Ralph

That is great question. I’ve been wondering, too.

No confusion.
Guest
No confusion.
5 years ago
Reply to  Ralph

It’s not 2 months later.. its finally having arrests made after a 2 month investigation. Investigate first, then arrests.

No confusion, you read it wrong
Guest
No confusion, you read it wrong
5 years ago
Reply to  No confusion.

No, it was a 10 month investigation, they were arrested 2 months ago. It says they were arrested in February…

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
5 years ago
Reply to  No confusion.

Nope. The investigation was for 10 months, the arrests were made 2 months ago.

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon Forrest

No it was 2 month investigation. 10 arrested in a twelve day stakeout Lol

TJ
Guest
TJ
5 years ago
Reply to  Ralph

I am gonna guess they where looking for people in connection still, and didn’t want to taint the investigation work. Since it wasn’t ran like a sting (ie immediately arresting people once money and product changed hands).

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

Really, who wants to puff dmt in a bar? That’s such a waste.

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

yeah but it shouldnt be a prohibited substance.

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

Well then it becomes a Star Wars bar….duh. Pretty cool

Hmmm
Guest
Hmmm
5 years ago

So MDMA is categorized as
Meth amphetamine??
Yes it has it in there, but MDMA is mainly ecstasy. When we hear about meth busts are they really getting MDMA or actual meth amphetamines?
I’ve never heard an agency list it this way before. Weird.

JP
Guest
JP
5 years ago
Reply to  Hmmm

We have an abundance of both here. Tweekers do real meth. The raver party kids are doing mdma. Kids drugs are bad all of them. This release is very confusing in that claim.

Johnny Reb
Guest
Johnny Reb
5 years ago

Put ’em all in the stocks. We need to go back to shaming scumbags in public. Next up, Little Red Lion in Eureka.

Hobo-joe
Guest
Hobo-joe
5 years ago
Reply to  Johnny Reb

Concur! and the perfect spot would be right where McKinley is removed from, maybe we can do it during the farmers market and all the rotten vegetables can be thrown at them

Scarlet Fire
Guest
Scarlet Fire
5 years ago

About time! It’s fairly common knowledge that it’s easy to score heroin at TJs. Why wasn’t heroin mentioned in the press release? They surely must have found some!

Robert Tuel
Guest
5 years ago

Kym Kemp can you get the names of those arrested and report it please

Kym Kemp
Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  Robert Tuel

North Coast News reported them last night. I’m running behind on stories. I’ll post the link to North Coast News here when it goes up.

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

Here a idea, would it be possible for Arcata to become its own county? Stick with me here, they want to be the most liberal city in the country where drugs flow like, well drugs do in Arcata, they could ban cars and tear down statues, legalize drugs, become a sanctuary city for extra terrestrials, and give class credit for protesting etc. and if they were no longer part of Humboldt county , Humboldt county wouldn’t really miss them. When people asked “what’s up with all the protests?” We could say I don’t know that’s the next county over. Arcata would love it, until it came to revenue but I would be willing to contribute to a go fund me page. The rest of Humboldt county would love it it’s a win win!! They could denounce Trump and the dollar system and trade love and drugs for goods, they could attempt seceded from the union and we would really have to care. I think we should try to get this on the ballot.

People are shity
Guest
People are shity
5 years ago

Its pritty sad how people can work at these 2 bars and totally destroy the owners of the facilities who obviously had no clue of what was going on there and you guys are pointing the finger and telling them Shut the bars down shut the bars down well fire the people that work there they need to go to jail shame on them before you start blaming everybody else the owner of the bars is a very very kind and giving person who i know would never ever let this happen in his bars its very sad how the people he had working for him and he trusted his employees Would turn around and do such terrible things to his business realize that some people do Shady Shady things to other people because they are jealous of the other people’s Lifestyles and the things that they have going for them in their lives so if they’re not happy they’re going to make sure that nobody else is Happy by tearing down and doing Shady things it’s a sad situation but again the people who own the bars are very very good kind-hearted people so you should think before you start judging