LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted by a deputy Monday evening has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine, the largest amount of the drug confiscated by sheriff's officials in recent history.
Esteban Birelas, 33, of Dixon was arrested as a result of the stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
At 5:48 p.m. Monday a patrol deputy was traveling southbound on Highway 29 in the Lower Lake area when he noticed a green pickup traveling in front of him which had damage to the rear license plate, making it unreadable, Brooks said.
The deputy also observed the vehicle cross over the double yellow lines. Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 29 and Murphy Springs Road. As the vehicle slowed down to pull over, the deputy also noticed that one of the brake lights was not working properly.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Birelas, Brooks said. As the deputy was talking to Birelas, he could smell the odor of marijuana emitting from within the vehicle.
Brooks said Birelas was asked if he had any marijuana in his possession or in the vehicle and Birelas replied, “No, I don’t use drugs. I sometimes smoke cigarettes.” He told the deputy that he drove from Dixon to provide an estimate for some concrete work, but was unable to provide the address.
Birelas provided numerous inconsistent and inaccurate reasons for his presence in Lake County and where he was traveling from, Brooks said.
The deputy advised Birelas that he had a K9 unit responding to his location to conduct a sniff of his vehicle. Birelas said he understood and when asked, gave the deputy consent to search the vehicle, Brooks said.
Birelas asked the deputy what he was searching for and the deputy replied that he wanted to search the vehicle, due to the odor of marijuana. Birelas advised that the residence where the “side job” was located had marijuana growing and the marijuana odor must be coming from his clothes, according to Brooks.
The K9 unit arrived at the location and the deputy deployed his canine partner to conduct a sniff of the exterior of Birelas’ vehicle. Brooks said the canine produced a positive alert to the bed of the pickup, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present.
Brooks said the K9 deputy placed his partner in the bed of the pickup and she produced a positive alert to the front portion of the bed, near the cab of the vehicle. Deputies searched the area where the canine alerted and located two quart size zip lock plastic bags, which contained large pieces of a white crystalline substance. The substance was recognized to be methamphetamine.
Birelas was arrested for possessing a controlled substance for sale and the transportation of a controlled substance. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Brooks said.
The methamphetamine had a total gross weight of approximately 2.035 pounds. This was the largest seizure of methamphetamine by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in recent history, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the seized methamphetamine reportedly had a street value of $92,000 if it was sold by the gram.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.