By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
Orland – We now know what Raul Perez had in his backpack.
You may recall that on Thursday, Feb. 25, Orland police officers responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of Monterey Street. While at 518 Monterey Street, Orland Police 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 original incident for OPD’s presence at the scene, 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 resident 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 that 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 on charges alleging threatening a school, public officer, or employee (a felony). His bail was set at $10,000.
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.”
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.
Based on the above information, Officer Roenspie applied for and was granted a warrant to search Raul Perez’s backpack. A Glock-style 9mm caliber firearm and 26 9mm rounds were found in the backpack.
At the time of his February arrest, Officer Roenspie also collected Raul Perez’s cell phone. Based on the statements made by Miller and Castro that Perez recorded himself with his own cell phone making threats and committing a felony while possessing a firearm, Roenspie applied for another warrant to search the contents of the cell phone.
In a call to the Glenn County Jail late Sunday morning, April 11, a custodial officer indicated that Raul Perez is not currently an inmate there.
The Glenn County Observer 