Cash, Guns and Cannabis Highlighted in Civil Case Amended Against Top Law Enforcement Officials in Mendocino County Last Week

cash guns cannabisTop law enforcement officials in Mendocino County are accused of a conspiracy to steal money, guns, and marijuana in an amended RICO (Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act) complaint filed in Federal Court last week. The amended filing adds a number of complaints about improperly seized or destroyed cannabis that have been lodged over the years against the county, the Sheriff’s Department, and the District Attorney’s office. It also includes references to a deposition given last month by a Sheriff’s office staffer, describing how she collected fees for former Sheriff Tom Allman’s zip-tie program and District Attorney David Eyster’s restitution program. While the staffer is not listed as a co-conspirator, the complaint implies that she participated in wrong-doing by failing to document cash payments on a computer or keep her own records of the payments and who made them.

Like the original, the amended complaint names former Mendocino County Sheriff’s Sergeant Bruce Smith and Steve White, formerly of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as defendants. It then goes on to allege that Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster, current Sheriff Matt Kendall, and former Sheriff Tom Allman are among the high-level co-conspirators.

Rico complaint Zeke flatten

Screenshot of the amended complaint.

In addition to the restitution and zip-tie programs (so called because prior to the current cultivation ordinance, cannabis growers could purchase special zip ties from the Sheriff to identify their plants as being legal within the framework of now-defunct Mendocino County Ordinance 9.31), the complaint alleges two other sources of revenue for the accused conspirators. It claims that Mendocino County law enforcement officers joined officers from the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety in “engaging in extortion by using traffic stops as a pretext to steal marijuana and cash from unsuspecting motorists along the Highway 101 corridor.” One of those officers, former Sergeant Jacy Tatum, pled guilty last month to multiple charges, including tax evasion, conspiracy to commit extortion, and lying to a federal investigator. Zeke Flatten, a victim of theft in that case, is also one of four plaintiffs in the current RICO case. [Redheaded Blackbelt helped break the story and is referred to in documents related to the case.]

The fourth alleged stream of revenue is the unproven sale of seized marijuana.

The case was originally filed in August of last year in the Mendocino County Superior Court. A month later, it was moved to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, where it is due for an initial case management hearing before Judge Susan Illston in March. Although a detailed account of missing cannabis is not included among the exhibits, the complaint asserts that the defendants “eradicated hundreds of marijuana farms and stole most of the seized marijuana. It was later sold on the black market.” The complaint claims further that, starting in 2007, when Tom Allman became Sheriff, Randy Johnson became Undersheriff and Bruce Smith took the helm of COMMET (County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team), “there was an increase in eradication efforts and a related failure to document how marijuana taken into custody, some of which was identified in search warrants, was destroyed.”

Two of the four plaintiffs, Anne Marie Borges and Chris Gurr, are also suing the County of Mendocino in a related matter, which involved the deposition of Sheriff’s Staff Assistant Sue Ann Anzilotti. Anzilotti told Borges and Gurr’s attorney last month how she processed restitution payments. If the payment were made by credit card, she said, it would be processed online. Cash payments would be run through a machine in dual control, which, in banking, means that at least two employees have simultaneous access to an area. This is a regular practice in the banking industry to reduce the risk of fraud. However, Anzilotti, who had worked as a bank teller for years prior to being hired by the Sheriff’s office, did not specify in her deposition that this measure was taken for payments made by credit card or check. Only credit card payments resulted in a printed receipt, while all other receipts were made by hand.

Payments and receipts went into a cash box, which was given to the Sheriff’s fiscal office at the end of the day. 

In the Rohnert Park case, investigations into former Sergeant Tatum’s finances proved he had far more money than he could account for legally. Asked if he had been able to track down payments or records of payments Anzilotti handled through the Sheriff’s office, Flatten’s attorney William Cohan said, “We haven’t gotten there yet.”

Below is the amended complaint:

2022-01-03 Amended Complaint – Flatten-Knight.FINAL (e-filed)

Earlier Chapter in Mendocino County Law Suit:

Earlier Chapters in Rohnert Park Law Suit:

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Can you believe it
Guest
Can you believe it
2 years ago

After all these years its just now being called out ?? Its said the only way to tell task force from growers. Is task force lifts their trucks a bit higher. And tow nicer boats

METRC
Guest
METRC
2 years ago

These cops definitely failed the track and trace program

NoGovernment
Guest
NoGovernment
2 years ago

one cannot trust anyone anymore. the drug grow trade has corrupted everything. Weed is a silent murderer that lurks in the rotting corridors of our abandoned minds.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
2 years ago
Reply to  NoGovernment

Oh, cut it out. All the LEOs and other County and city personnel in this case corrupted themselves; it’s an old, old story. Maybe your abandoned mind is rotted but don’t project your problems on the rest of us. I’m sorry for you, but the issues with cannabis are more related to flaws in human nature way more than flaws in the plant. Looks like it will be another generation or so before we move from illegality to over-regulation, to some form of sanity concerning the power plant.

suspence
Member
suspence
2 years ago
Reply to  NoGovernment

I trust lots of ppl. Outburst is right, you’ve got a problem.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
2 years ago

I almost forgot! Thank you Kym for originally breaking this story. A big win for local investigative journalism.

Grow a brain
Guest
Grow a brain
2 years ago

We’ll I think it’s safe to say that the Humboldt county abatement and eradication programs are falling into this hideous extortion government theft/tresonas criteria as well

suspence
Member
suspence
2 years ago
Reply to  Grow a brain

This happened in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Did you read it? Also, this is old news, it’s just an amendment to an existing case. WTF are you talking about?

QuetzalBeacon
Guest
QuetzalBeacon
2 years ago
Reply to  suspence

RICO is kind of a big deal.

thatguyinarcata
Guest
thatguyinarcata
2 years ago
Reply to  suspence

I believe they are claiming that Humboldt County likely has similar things going on.

I’ve definitely had weed disappear after interactions with the sherif

Don T MattaD
Member
Don T Matta
2 years ago
Reply to  Grow a brain

I think you meant, Treasonous, just sayin’!!! ;-]]

Taco 36
Guest
Taco 36
2 years ago

Imagine if humboldt county sherriff gets called out for their many years of extortion. Or even supervisors for their pay to play in the legal side.

willow creeker
Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Taco 36

I said it here before- I wish someone would look into the accounting at the humboldt planning dept during the early abatement days. I remember being in there in line and watching person after person hand over enormous wads of cash, in order to finish out the season and harvest their crop. 2017/2018/2019 was very wild west with cash in there.

Anyway, I love to give the crooked authorities hell on one side, but I also think this county and Mendocino also need stronger, better law enforcement to deal with a lot of societal ills. Here in eastern humboldt, more police and better police are what we need.

farmer
Guest
farmer
2 years ago
Reply to  willow creeker

Yep. I was given a bill for an already completed and paid for building permit. I was charged an additional $900 dollars by Chad Pasquini (who is no longer with PD) I asked for what I was being charged and a reciept for my attorney. When I went in to pay for the charge the women behind the counter turned around and told him he couldn’t charge someone after they already paid for and completed a plan. It was horrible dealing with him. He made is so expensive and hard to get anything done. I wish I could have afforded to hire an attorney earlier on in the process. John Ford is still letting the planning department collect for application assistance meetings to bait and switch people. Pie in the sky promises but then when it comes down to completing the projects astronomical charges.

Last edited 2 years ago
suspence
Member
suspence
2 years ago
Reply to  willow creeker

Maybe that is what Paz Dominguez is up to. That’d be cool.

Farce
Guest
Farce
2 years ago
Reply to  willow creeker

Many brown paper bags full of cash were brought into the back room at the Building Department. Money counting machines were going all day. People were given paper hand-written receipts like yeah, we all know what is happening here. The piles of cash were very loosely recorded and I imagine that some was deposited….Everybody in the business knew this was happening, knew at least one person who handed over cash….There has been no accounting from John Ford’s office, no responsibility, no statements about these cash payments, no investigation, no attention from the Board of Supervisors, no media story, nothing…just crickets….

Mendocino Mamma
Guest
Mendocino Mamma
2 years ago

Oooo weeee. Yep this is just what was exposed far more going on out there. 2005-2012 pinnacle times. Sue was real close with Tom still is. Randy SMH largest grows in the county were on his place by Potter at one time as he was undersheriff. The expanded “I need more plants letter” duly noted. How can officers have medical cannabis and guns? It is not okay the play to pay. People have been destroyed when they couldn’t pay enough to satisfy the playground fees. The attorneys collecting massive fees for cannabis litigation that never got to court, no REFUND SORRY. Massive amounts of money envelope upon envelope , no receipts to pay for testimony from Drs etc up front . NO REFUNDS.again the case never getting to court. Meanwhile…there is nothing to see smile n wave boys, smile n wave.

Last edited 2 years ago
Remember
Guest
Remember
2 years ago

Has anyone heard the story about a woman who was robbed by mendo sheriff’s of equipment or vehicle s but got her stuff back because she was friends with Allman. I was told she took them to court? Could be a little piece of documented evidence to corroborate these stories..

Mendocino Mamma
Guest
Mendocino Mamma
2 years ago
Reply to  Remember

The list of litigation lawsuits against Mendocino County and Mendocino County Sheriff’s for improper cannabis, seizure of properties etc are pages upon pages. They just recently changed the policy at Mendocino County where you cannot look at the pages anymore you have to go case by case. These cases involve many law enforcement officials judges and higher-ups as well. People try to address it but Mendocino County courts are so corrupt nothing ever happens in there. Time and time again complaints were filed with the bar and the higher courts only to be dismissed and shoved under the rug. I’ve talked about this lumpy rug for years now. One must be part of the blind bully ring to get a positive outcome. Was aware of a case just the other day. The blatant lies and perjury would make you want to puke. Everything was decided in Chambers and closed conversations before any of the litigants got to the courtroom. The judges and the lawyers laughed all the way to the bank much to the Heartbreak of the truthful people involved in the case that couldn’t get their story considered heard or rectified. Sickening.

Shawn Cherry
Guest
Shawn Cherry
2 years ago

Hahahahahahahaha 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
2 years ago

4 people suing Mendocino County hoping for a large settlement. No evidence. The ultimate conspiracy theory. I won’t give this case any credence until some tangible evidence is provided that these charges have merit.

Don T MattaD
Member
Don T Matta
2 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

There is PLENTY of Evidence, if you open your eyes instead of your mouth, just sayin’!!!

Mendo government is garbage
Guest
Mendo government is garbage
2 years ago

My friend in Mendocino County got his truck taken away in a raid. He was offered a deal to buy it back for $20,000 cash. This was on top of paying the restitution money. He payed them because he couldn’t buy the same truck for that price anywhere.
Do you think Mendocino county filled out 8300 forms for all this cash?

Farce
Guest
Farce
2 years ago

We have known about these guys and their corruption for a long time. But why don’t I see Peter Hoyle’s name yet? I sure hope that snake doesn’t slither away…okay, I didn’t mean to insult snakes- snakes are pretty cool. Peter Hoyle is not, not at all.

Crap
Guest
Crap
2 years ago

The District Attorney did not accept anything other then cash for restitution. It was called the pay to play program. It was incentive for the county to bust more small growers, it is easier to get small growers to pay.

thetallone
Guest
thetallone
2 years ago
Reply to  Crap

Specifically, you were paying the DA’s office for the service of reducing your felony charge to a misdemeanor. A friend of mine was charged $50,000 for this courtesy. Yes, it is an extortion racket, dreamed up by Eyster.

Joe Dirt
Guest
Joe Dirt
2 years ago

Is anyone surprised? There are crooked people in all walks of life. Wonder if Allman’s retirement and relocation had anything to do with this?

In regards to the Planning Department’s billing, keep an eye on your invoice. It’s amazing how much one is billed for a staff report that was cut and pasted from the previous hundreds of staff reports.

They charged us 2020 rates for work that was done in 2018. They charged us $300 for a 40 minute application assistance meeting they required before they would accept our application. It was worthless.

Also their hourly rates are astronomical, $175+/hr. Our engineer was only a $125.00/hr. They are not supposed to charge more than the cost to provide the service. When we questioned the hourly rates we were told, that’s what the Board approved. A Planner I makes between $21.00 and $30.00/hr. A Senior Planner makes between $31.00 and $40.00 an hour. You can’t tell me their overhead is around $125.00 an hour.

I’m surprised the farmers have not banded together to question the rates and possibly pursue a class action lawsuit.

glen
Guest
glen
2 years ago

Reminds me of 2011 & 2012 when Arcata PD was lying to get warrants to search for weed or, actually, to search for money. Disgraced officer Kevin Stonebarger told the story of APD actually having quotas for what they expected in cash seizures from their officers. Sounds harmless until you’re woken up by 10 officers with automatic weapons handcuffing your kid and tearing your house apart. There was nothing to seize so they took my bank cards and drained my accounts. Took me a year of fighting them for the $12K they took, costs more than that in lawyer’s fees but I was determined. They actually offered me half of the money back at one point, it was absurd. But a good civics lesson for the kid to see what an unconstitutional search and seizure looks like. I wonder what else Arcata did that year, seems like a potentially juicy story for an up-and-coming journalist?

sparky
Guest
sparky
2 years ago

Thanks Kym!! Truth is finally coming out.. Task Force is nothing but licensed criminals and all involved should be immediately disbanded, defunded, and their pensions denied!!

Spewydog
Guest
Spewydog
2 years ago

This is a reason for the Feds to legalize pot. Until they do, large amounts of cash are the name of the game. Can’t deposit in your bank account and write a check. Need to get that grow money protected by the FDIC before this type of corruption becomes a thing of the past. It ain’t the plant that causes the issue, it is the other green that does.

When Truth Is Told
Guest
When Truth Is Told
2 years ago

Like Joe Mota says, “No Evidence”. The complaint recounts in detail the illegal actions of the two crooked Rhonert Park cops (thank you Kym Kemp for exposing that) but fails to provide a single connecting dot between the sensational allegations in the complaint and the known facts of the Mendo raids/seizures.

gerard mannering
Guest
gerard mannering
2 years ago

ALLMAN NEEDS TO BE LOCKED UP NOW & FOREVER

Lesco Brandon
Guest
Lesco Brandon
2 years ago

It’s called Human weakness, they saw an opportunity to take away one’s cannabis and cash thinking they would shut their mouth about it since none of it was legal.
Greed crimes of this caliber committed by Law enforcement should get severely punished!

Michael wilson
Guest
Michael wilson
2 years ago

What’s really odd is that these are LAW enforcement officers showing the whole world and everybody in it that they are criminals just they same as the ones they arrest everyday for crimes and not one time has anyone asked or even thought about the fact that this problem goes much deeper into the present justice system we ALLOW in this society today it’s sickening to see these law enforcement people with there better than everyone attitude running around destroying people’s lives stealing and robbing from people I mean after all thief’s and robbers are what they are supposed to protect the people from and as it turns out they are the very thing they are supposed to protect us from yet everyone stands by and allows this to happen everyday and the only thing they wanna talk about is how the courts and justice system is soft on crime it will be really interesting to see just how “SOFT” our justice system will be on these badge wearing criminals and even more interesting to see if anyone is gonna wake up and see that we the people allow this to happen for a long time now