By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
Orland – We now know more about what led up to the arrest of Raul Tito Perez for allegedly making threats against a peace officer in late February.
The Orland police logs for Thursday, Feb. 25, said only, “7:45 p.m., Orland police officers responded to a report of a verbal disturbance between two women at 518 Monterey Street. Officers contacted Yolanda Aguilar, 26, and Beatrice Zaragoza, 34. Both were counseled and agreed to separate for the night. While investigating at the scene, Raul Perez, 35, entered the home and made threats. Following an investigation, Perez was arrested and booked for criminal threats.”
And the Glenn County Jail’s news release for this date gave only the following information: “10:31 p.m., Raul Tito Perez, 35, a laborer who lives in Orland, was booked into the Glenn County Jail on charges alleging threatening a school, public officer, or employee (a felony). Bail was set at $10,000. He was taken into custody at 510 Monterey Street by an Orland police officer.”
New details about what may have happened that night have come to light. According to Orland Police Officer Thomas Roenspie, at 9:45 p.m. (not 7:45, as the police log said), he was dispatched to a report of a verbal dispute between two women at what most Orland residents still call Moe’s Market, although the name was actually changed some years ago to Moe’s Los Tres Potrillos.
Officer Roenspie arrived at the market at 228 Sixth Street and contacted Yolanda Aguilar and Beatrice Zaragoza, who reported they had an argument over Brandon Perez. While speaking with Zaragoza, her mother was identified as Sara Puente.
Zaragoza said that Sara Puente had called her, stating Brandon Perez’s nine-year-old son, Andrew, was at 518 Monterey Street, refusing to accompany Brandon Perez. Officer Roenspie responded to 518 Monterey Street and contacted Andrew Perez, who alleged his father, Brandon Perez, had hit him twice while in Red Bluff.
While at 518 Monterey Street, Officer Roenspie saw Raul Perez, “a known gang member and felon,” enter the residence where the officer had also seen two other women, Leilani Miller and Michelea Castro. Perez was carrying a black and gray backpack.
Officer Roenspie was still investigating the child endangerment incident, which allegedly occurred in Tehama County, when he was contacted by Miller, who told the officer that Raul Perez had a firearm, a Glock 43, and had threatened to kill the police officers who were outside the residence. Officer Roenspie then saw Michelea Castro, who made a comment that Raul Perez had a gun.
The officer saw the door was now open and he saw Raul Perez walk from the kitchen towards the front door, where Officer Roenspie was speaking with Sara Perez. The officer was afraid that Raul Perez had the firearm and was going to try to fire upon him and the other officers.
Officer Roenspie ordered Raul Perez to show his hands. The officer noticed Michelea Castro fearfully walking her children out of the residence.
Roenspie did not see that Raul Perez was now in possession of the backpack. The officer asked Perez where he was living, and he said he wasn’t living anywhere.
Officer Roenspie asked Perez if he had a gun in his backpack. Perez said he did not have a gun and was not “searchable and testable,” and added that he was done talking to Roenspie.
The officer said he was trying to ask Sara Perez if he could come inside and search the items in her residence. Raul Perez told Officer Roenspie no, and he began to tell Sara Perez not to allow any police officers into the residence.
Sara Perez protested to Raul Perez that if he didn’t have anything to hide, then let the officers search his bag. Raul Perez turned around and began to walk back towards the kitchen, where he said his backpack was on the table.
Officer Roenspie was afraid Raul Perez was going to attempt to retrieve the firearm, so the officer entered the residence and ordered Perez to sit down.
Roenspie attempted to speak with Sara Perez, but Raul Perez continued to interrupt and ask why the officer was inside the residence. Officer Roenspie told Perez he did not want him to grab a gun and shoot the officers like he was alleged to have said.
Raul Perez allegedly responded that if he had wanted to shoot Officer Roenspie, he would have done it.
Sara Perez then began speaking with Raul Perez in mixed English and Spanish. While speaking with her, Raul Perez got up and became upset.
For officer safety, Perez was handcuffed and seated in a chair. Officer Katherine Lowery then seated him in the back of Officer Roenspie’s patrol vehicle while Roenspie remained in the residence with the backpack.
Officer Lowery returned to the residence and kept watch on the backpack while Officer Roenspie spoke with Leilani Miller, who told him that when Raul Perez walked in, she knew he was known to carry weapons. Miller said she asked him if he had anything on him, and he lifted his sweater and showed her his waistband.
She then asked him what was in his backpack, and he told her not to worry about it. Miller said she confronted Raul Perez and told him she knew he carried on him.
Miller allegedly told Perez she saw him flashing a firearm at the Dollar Store and she knew he was carrying. At the residence, Perez allegedly told her he had a Glock 43 and pulled it out of his backpack.
Miller later told Officer Roenspie the firearm was a compact and described it as having a gold slide and a silver grip.
Miller alleged that a little earlier Raul Perez had pulled out his phone and began to “snapchat,” saying he was going to kill the cops outside. She also said the Perez alleged he was a cop killer and that this was his “hood.”
Miller said she was afraid because of the weapon but was more afraid due to her niece and nephew being in the home. They were identified as Layla Ponce, 8, and Brandon Ponce, 3.
Michalea Castro told Officer Roenspie she wanted to press charges against Perez for having a firearm in her house with her kids present. She alleged she heard Perez say he had a gun, and when she turned around, she saw him return a black firearm to his backpack.
She alleged she saw Perez recording himself with his phone, saying the cops were at the house and he was going to kill them. She also alleged that a few weeks ago, Perez had pulled out a gun in front of her and her kids at the Dollar General on Newville Road.
Based on Miller’s and Castro’s statements, Officer Roenspie placed Perez under arrest for allegedly making threats against peace officers (a felony). Sara Perez told Roenspie she wanted the backpack out of her house since it was Raul Perez’s property.
Due to Raul Perez being placed under arrest, Officer Roenspie collected the backpack and confirmed with Miller and Castro that it was the backpack from which Perez pulled the firearm. Roenspie then secured it in the back of his patrol vehicle and later secured it in an evidence locker.
Perez was transported to the Glenn County Jail by Officer Jose Flores and booked for the above charge.
Following these incidents on Feb. 25, Officer Roenspie sought a warrant to search Raul Perez’s backpack. In his statement of probable cause, Roenspie expressed his belief “that a search of the above-described backpack will result in the seizure of evidence that will help determine if Raul [Perez] was committing a felony by being a felon in possession of a firearm.”
Most of the foregoing was taken from Officer Roenspie’s statement of probable cause for obtaining a search warrant.
In Glenn County, Raul Perez was convicted and sentenced on felony charges in 2004. The felonies for which he was found guilty were being an accessory to a crime, and violation of probation.
The Glenn County Observer 