NORTH COAST, Calif. – Authorities have taken into custody two people who they say were responsible for stealing mail in Mendocino and other Northern California counties.
Donald Gordon Powell, 34, of Cottonwood and Lawanda Jean Parks, 30, of Corning were arrested in the case, according to a report from Capt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
Van Patten said that on June 9 Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies were notified that mail was taken from a residential mailbox in Leggett.
The 65-year-old male victim was alerted to a vehicle parked next to his mailbox with a male and female inside, Van Patten said. When the victim was approaching the vehicle, the individuals drove off.
Van Patten said the victim followed the suspects to Boomers Bar in Laytonville, where deputies responded to investigate further.
The individuals then drove off at a high rate of speed but eventually pulled over as the deputies caught up to them and initiated an enforcement stop, Van Patten said.
Deputies spoke with Powell, who was driving, and Parks; Van Patten reported that both originally denied stealing any mail.
During the investigation, the deputies discovered several pieces of stolen mail within the vehicle from at least 11 victims, all from other counties, totaling $22,076.75 in altered money orders or checks, Van Patten said.
The deputies located two additional money orders that the Leggett victim had previously placed inside his mailbox. Van Patten said those money orders had already been altered by having Powell’s name written on them.
Van Patten said deputies learned Powell was wanted in Shasta County for a burglary arrest warrant. During the course of the investigation methamphetamine was discovered inside the vehicle as well.
Powell and Parks were booked into the Mendocino County Jail, Van Patten said.
Parks was booked on felonies including receiving stolen property, conspiracy and possessing or receiving forged notes, with bail set at $15,000, according to jail records.
Powell was booked for those same three felony charges, along with felony forgery and burglary, misdemeanor drug possession, and a felony probation violation and felony probation revocation, jail records showed. His bail was set at $185,000.
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