Authorities arrest Lake County pair on weapons, drug charges
NORTH COAST, Calif. — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office arrested two Lake County residents last week following a vehicle stop, with one found in possession of a stolen handgun and the other found with drugs.
Brandon Gene Maxfield, 28, and Avril Wright, 18, both of Nice, were taken into custody on Saturday, May 1, according to a report from Sgt. Jay Vanoven.
Shortly after 10 p.m. May 1, a Mendocino County Sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Highway 20 and Marina Drive in Redwood Valley, Vanoven said.
Vanoven said the deputy contacted the driver, identified as Maxfield, and a female passenger, identified as Wright.
The deputy learned that Maxfield was on probation out of Mendocino County and was subject to search, Vanoven said.
Before the pair submitted to the search, Vanoven said the deputy was told a firearm and Percocet pills were located inside the vehicle.
Believing she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest, Wright identified herself as someone else in an attempt to elude arrest. Vanoven said Wright's identification card was found during the search, revealing her true identity.
Vanoven said the deputy recovered a loaded Glock 10 millimeter caliber pistol from the glove box of the vehicle.
A records check on the firearm was conducted and Vanoven said the firearm was listed as stolen out of the Bay Area.
The deputy also recovered several Percocet pills from within the passenger area of the vehicle, Vanoven said.
Based on the totality of the investigation, Maxfield and Wright were arrested and transported to the Mendocino County Jail.
At the jail, Wright was found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine and unknown pills, and a methamphetamine smoking pipe, all of which she had concealed on her person, Vanoven said.
Vanoven said Maxfield was booked for possession of a controlled substance with an armed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm not registered as the owner, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, possession of stolen property and violation of probation, with bail set at $25,000.
Wright was booked for false impersonation of another, bringing a controlled substance into a county jail, possession of a controlled substance and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, with bail set at $15,000, Vanoven said.