A two-month long undercover drug-buy operation at Lassen High School led to the arrest of seven students today, with more arrests expected according to Police Chief Tom Downing.
The Susanville Police Department conducted the undercover program in an attempt to address drug sales around Lassen High School.
“The program was intended to identify and arrest individuals who are selling drugs to our youth,” explained Chief Downing, “It turned out that the youth were selling to youth.”
Downing confirmed that officers have arrested seven individuals and are actively looking for further suspects.
The busy day began with the execution of a search warrant by the Susanville Police Department and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office at a residence on Lowry Street, and the serving of several arrest warrants. As a result of the warrants officers located and seized a small amount of marijuana in the residence and arrested 18 year-old Ramon Manual Pena and a 17 year-old male on warrants for the sales of marijuana.
22 year-old Cesear Gonzales was also arrested on two unrelated arrest warrants for a violation of probation and failure to appear.
So far the undercover operation has resulted in the issuance of 9 arrest warrants on charges of sales of controlled substances, six of those arrest warrants were for juveniles; two 17 year-old males; a 17 year-old female; a 15 year-old female and a 14 year-old male.
Chief Downing thanked the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and Lassen High School staff for their assistance.
