Ukiah Man Arrested After Weeks of Warnings Over Large Encampment and Waste Along North State Street
This is a press release from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty:
Stock photo of MCSO law enforcement vehicle taken in 2020.
On 03/26/2026, Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office began receiving reports of a significant illegal encampment and accumulation of waste in the 2000 block of North State Street in Ukiah, CA. The initial caller was a nearby resident who reported the encampment and waste was visible from her property which prompted the initial response.
This initial response was followed up with additional complaints regarding the encampment and waste. Over the following days, Deputies contacted the occupants of the encampment, which included Michael Menke (33-year-old male from Ukiah, CA). Menke acknowledged he was at the location without permission and he received repeated warnings and clear instructions to remove his belongings and properly dispose of the trash. Menke did not comply with the warnings and instructions to remove and dispose of the trash.
Deputies estimated the accumulation included over 10-cubic-yards of personal items and trash, creating a foul odor and presenting a health and safety hazard. Items observed included soiled bedding, clothing, food, plastic garbage bags, aerosol cans, lighter fluid labeled as extremely flammable, and a methamphetamine smoking device.
On 04/02/2026, Deputies provided final notice that the area must be cleared by 04/04/2026, or enforcement action would commence. On 04/04/2026, Deputies returned to the location and found the items remained but had been moved to an area that obstructed the public walkway along North State Street. Menke was arrested on an unrelated warrant, pending additional investigation. During an interview, Menke acknowledged ownership of the items and admitted that he failed to remove the items despite ample prior notice.
Deputies determined that the actions of Menke constituted a violation of California Penal Code 374.8(b) for unlawful accumulation and disposal of waste and maintaining a public nuisance under Penal Code 372. This determination was made due to the obstruction, unsanitary conditions, and hazards to public health and safety.
Menke was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for 374.8(b) PC and 372 PC in addition to the arrest warrant issued in Mendocino County for 11395(b)(1) PC – Possessing a controlled substance with two or more prior convictions. Menke is being held in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority was contacted to assist with the removal of the waste which was the focus of this investigation.
Anyone with information related to this incident is requested to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office at 707-463-4086 (option 1). Information can also be provided anonymously by calling the non-emergency tip-line at 707-234-2100.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Just curious, who paid for the garbage company to come and remove the trash and all of his ( Michael’s) worldly possessions?
It’s cheaper than keeping him in some kind of assisted living facility which is what he really needs. Unfortunately we don’t have those because the liberals and the republicans worked together to get rid of mental institutions so now the streets are the institutions. Now they’re free to smoke meth and hoard garbage in our public spaces. Freedom!
IMHO:
Hmm… taxpayers paid for it. Counties desperately need ‘Work Camps’.
Those camps will flush the bums out… they will head for SF/LA, Portland or Seattle.
Weeks? why so long, clean up the town. Ukiah is looking really rough.
Whatever happened to Kelisha Alvarez and Scotty Willis? They were certainly a colorful and entertaining couple in Ukiah, especially Kelisha. They could have almost been characters in a comic strip.
I heard somewhere that Kelisha has died. Too bad if she did. I imagine she didnt have a very healthy lifestyle. She and Scotty could have been sort of good will ambassadors for Ukiah.
I hate going down to Ukiah; unfortunately that’s where the Costco and the best library are. However, yesterday when my wife and I were at the library, which is really more of a homeless shelter, I was threatened repeatedly by a mentally ill methamphetamine addict, who informed me that I was not allowed to stand near him as I was perusing the graphic novel section.
We got into a little back-and-forth, as I was curious about his position on where I could and could not place myself in space, and that’s when the threats of physical violence started. I told my new friend that he’d be wise to leave me alone, as he was surely about to get kicked out of the nice air conditioned library and have to go back “home,” which I’m sure is outside. It was hot in Ukiah yesterday.
Then, the library security guard came to my rescue! He asked what was going on, and the situation was explained to him.
Then, I was told to leave the bum alone. I informed the security guard that I had been leaving him alone, as he looked dangerous (I asked the bum if he understood that he looked dangerous,) at which point I was told to go look at books in a different area or I would be asked to leave, if I continued to cause a disturbance. I asked the bum, in front of library staff, if he even had a library card, as I was a patron of the library, there to check out books and take them home. I was told this was my final warning to leave the bum alone.
My wife and I were checking out our book selection about 15 minutes later when another urban camper started having an outburst event. At that point, most of the patrons left, and the library looked like a methadone clinic. I can’t imagine taking children in there.
Ukiah is allowing the bums to take over and make the citizens miserable. This story is only proof of that; they allowed this person to accumulate how much trash?!?!
Cool story. My take away is to point out you don’t have to have a library card to be in a library.
Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority was contacted to assist with the removal of the waste which was the focus of this investigation.
WHO PAYS??? I don’t think it was Michael M.
Does the garbage company eat the cost or ?
I just want to ask these people why they think they can live outside the law? Why they think it’s ok to invade others property, set up their trash camps and pose a risk of disease to the rest of us and the environment? I don’t get to behave like that, why do they? Why does one nut hold a whole town hostage with his “art”? Leaving crap strung out for a half a block and strutting around like a rooster with a bush on his head? COME ON!
Here’s a Ukiah haiku called No Biggie.
Cops stole my trash hoard.
Meth pipe too. I’m not trippin’.
I’ll steal what I want.