All Human Trafficking Charges Dropped in High-Profile Cannabis Labor Case, Trial Date Not Yet Set for Two Adult Suspects in Youth Homicide Case, Alleged Predator Let Out on Supervised Release Inside Humboldt Courts
Humboldt County Superior Court handles a steady flow of criminal cases each day, but most proceedings pass without much public notice unless they result in major developments.
In this column, Redheaded Blackbelt provides a regular look at what’s moving through the local courts—tracking hearings, trials, and filings in cases that are either well known or warrant closer public attention. As always, any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
LAST WEEK’S ROUND-UP:
IN THE CASE OF: Georgi Tonev — A Plea Deal & Trafficking Charges Dropped
HCSO arresting Georgi Tonev. [Photo by HSCO]
What investigators found, according to court records, was failing, unsanitary infrastructure, with black mold growing on the walls of an indoor grow site, and trash piled around the property.
They located the worker and got him out.
Swift water rescue image provided by HCSO in their March 12 press release.
Days later, deputies served three search warrants on separate properties — two near Bridgeville, and one in the Garberville area, according to court records.
Georgi Tonev, a Bridgeville resident originally from Bulgaria who has lived in the United States for more than 25 years, was arrested on human trafficking charges and held on $465,000 bail.
He was held to answer for the charges on April 20 of this year, for crimes related to human trafficking as well as alleged wage theft, tax-related violations, and unlawful marijuana cultivation — according to court records.
The cultivation site was state-licensed. The violations weren’t about permits. They were about how workers were treated.
His attorney, Andrea Sullivan, pushed back on the charges in statements to the Lost Coast Outpost. Sullivan said her client is an immigrant himself — someone who, in her words, has “a soft spot for people that come to this country and try to make a better life”. Sullivan further argued that the alleged victims had “preyed against my client’s generosity.”
She compared the remote, isolated nature of cannabis farm work to other jobs that take workers far from home, like commercial fishing or oil rig work. Sullivan also told the Outpost that for all three alleged victims, there were “absolutely no allegations” that Tonev used threats of any kind against workers.
The case took a significant turn at a preliminary hearing earlier this year, when a judge found insufficient evidence to support trafficking allegations involving two of the workers and dismissed those counts.
Then, the case moved forward on a single human trafficking count, along with felony wage theft and marijuana cultivation violations.
However, last week, the remaining trafficking allegation was dropped as well. A false imprisonment charge was also dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Tonev pleaded guilty to felony wage theft, tax-related violations, and unlawful marijuana cultivation. Every human trafficking count against him — allegations that first brought attention to this case — were ultimately dismissed.
This case has been primarily handled by DA Rebecca Buckley-Stein, with Judge Steven Steward assigned in early June.
Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Prior coverage:
IN THE CASE OF: Tse-Lin Lincoln & William Warren — Hoopa Community Waiting on a Trial Date
During the investigation, unmarked vehicles were seen at the Big Hill area. [Photo courtesy of Lawrence Orcutt]
A 17-year-old’s death on a quiet road outside Hoopa more than a year ago is still without a trial date, as a case that fractured the small community continues to move slowly through Humboldt County Superior Court.
Dylan Andrew Moon was shot on Little Moon Lane and died of his injuries. The shooting set off a wave of fear and anger in Hoopa. The Hoopa Valley Tribe offered a $10,000 reward for information and held an emergency community meeting.
Tribal Chairman Joe Davis later said the tribe was turning its focus toward preventing the kind of gang violence and youth conflict that led to Moon’s death.
Tse-Lin Lincoln and William Warren, both adults, were arrested within days of the alleged shooting and now face murder charges with gang-related enhancements.
Prosecutors announced they would not seek the death penalty against either defendant earlier this year, telling the court they had discussed the decision with Moon’s mother. Both men are being held without bail and have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The case has been repeatedly delayed over discovery disputes. Defense attorneys for both men have said the prosecution has been slow to turn over evidence.
A preliminary hearing — which will determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial — is now set for July 28.
Prior Coverage:
- [Update 9:23 p.m.] Breaking News: Shooting Near Hoopa Leaves One Critically Injured Tuesday Evening
- Hoopa Shooting Victim Flown Out for Treatment as District Schools Close
- Lincoln and Warren Plead ‘Not Guilty’ as DA Refuses to Rule Out Death Penalty in Dylan Moon Murder Case
IN THE CASE OF: Ryan Robertson, Alleged Fortuna Predator on Supervised Release
A Fortuna Police investigation into child sexual exploitation has produced felony charges against a local man, who has now been let out on supervised release.
Ryan Daniel Robertson was arrested in February following an investigation by Fortuna police.
Robertson faces felony charges alleging he attempted to arrange a meeting with someone he believed to be a minor, sent harmful material to a minor, and contacted a minor with intent to commit a sex offense.
Robertson was released June 25 under supervised release conditions ordered by visiting Judge Ksenia Tsenin without posting the $200,000 bail that had been set two days earlier.
A jury trial is now scheduled for September, with a readiness conference set for earlier that month.
[Composite image by Ryan Hutson]
If you know of a case that has significant public interest that you would like followed, email us at [email protected].
EARLIER:
- A Eureka Shooting Reaches the Jury; Public Defender Assigned in DV Case; and Child Sex Crimes Case Moves Forward — Inside Humboldt Courts — May 30, 2026
- One Jury Deadlocked, Another Convicted, and Judges Keep Stepping Aside Inside Humboldt Courts — June 9, 2026
- Lamplighter Owners Blame Victim, Jury Deliberates in Eureka Shooting Case, and More: Inside Humboldt Courts — June 16, 2026
- Child Predator Sting Case Has Federal Twist; DA Wants Lab Results On DNA in Manslaughter Retrial; and Attempted Murder Trial Approaches: Inside Humboldt Courts — June 18, 2026
- Toddler Victim in New Sex Crime Case; Eureka Drive-by Shooting Suspect Faces Sex Crimes Charges Separately; and Another Shooter Found Guilty Could Avoid a Life Sentence: Inside Humboldt Courts — June 25, 2026
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That first case kinda shows how they’re just throwing around that term “Human Trafficking” as a catch all crime to help justify continuing prohibition style enforcement action against a crop that CA voters approved, and was otherwise “permitted”. Marijuana processing is seasonal piece work. Similar to construction… Say, during these ICE crack downs, how many roofers or concrete finishers got ICE called on the crews right before they were ready to get paid? What happened to the worker “rescued”? Did he get rescued all the way back to Mexico where he can get back to his freedom and gainful employment?
The right wing authoritarians lost their “war on marijuana”, so the drumbeat of horribles began. Every grow is now “contaminated with illegal herbicides from China” and “stealing water from alfalfa growers”.
The man called because he had no food. You think it should have been ignored because cultivation is somehow special? There are rules that apply to paying wages timely, withholding properly and conditions of employment even it this work was truly “piece work” which it likely wasn’t. It was was called “farm work”, not “processing.” And no one is more “right wing” than a person who thinks laws don’t apply to them.
Hello? This was the result of a “plea deal”, which doesn’t happen without some issue to deal over. Despite you seeing it as only political, it was lawyers rangling over the cost of prosecution versus resulting penalty if convicted rather than some persecution of pot growers.
Many laypersons (let along agricultural workers, and foreign nationals) wouldn’t know the difference between “human trafficking,” “job fraud,” and “wage theft.” These are
legal terms with technical definitions. Felony wage theft was an appropriate conviction.
What’s more, since application of the law is at the discretion of LEOs (and judges) the fact that a human trafficking conviction wasn’t reached doesn’t necessarily mean that no such thing occurred. The system strives for a “more perfect union” because the current one is irrefutably flawed.
I took some intro CJ classes… textbook explains that full enforcement is not the objective of the criminal justice system.
Meanwhile, the courts keep summoning ineligible jurors, specifically a family member in their mid 90s when age exemption is stated to occur at 72. The whole family giggles every time one of these jury summons arrives. We’re waiting for some 200lb sheriff to come make the arrest on a sub 100lb geriatric who doesn’t remember a thing.
How much trouble is it to take away ineligible categories before sending the notices? Wouldn’t it be more economic to only send to eligible voters? Since no one picks up their phone in that department anymore it’s impossible for us to attempt to inform them of their humorous but strange error. Juan Cervantes’ voter lists are accurate, why do the courts ignore the birthyear or age field? And why can’t they provide some way for the citizen to permanently change this short of making a media circus which might embarrass the tourism industry?
Maybe the social media is all we have left as county workers hide in their Monday to Thursday office hours and behind their voice mail.
The animal situation makes the sheriff and the building departments look strange for no enforcement of regular rules. Now the courts look odd, too. Serious, is anyone actually thinking about stuff in County Government/Administration or just cashing checks and hanging at Ruth?
Have you returned the jury summons with a request for exemption? Because a person over 72 can request an exemption if they choose but it would be wrong for the government to decide on their own an old person, no matter what age, wasn’t allowed to participate if they still wanted. No one is ineligible based on age.