The following is a press released from Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:
On 11-02-2020 at about 12:30 AM Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to an in progress burglary of a marijuana/cannabis farm located in the [off] of Highway 20 in Willits, California.
The caller reported there was a van at the location with several subjects in the process of stealing marijuana/cannabis.
Deputies responded to the location however the suspects had left the location prior to Deputy’s arrival. Deputies contacted and spoke with a few farm workers at the location who had been camping on the property and had witness the incident.
Deputies learned that a minivan and a small sedan vehicle arrived on the property at about 12:15 AM and drove to a large storage building approximately 50 to 60 yards uphill from where the farm workers were camping.
Several subjects exited the vehicles and one of the farm workers witnessed the subjects break into the storage building which contained semi processed marijuana/cannabis.
The subjects then proceeded to remove several boxes and containers of semi processed marijuana/cannabis from the storage shed and dumped the marijuana into both vehicles before driving away from the area. The farm workers who witnessed the incident telephoned the marijuana/cannabis farm operation owner who in turned called 911 to report the incident.
Deputies had concluded their preliminary investigation and were leaving the property when the two vehicles arrived at the property and Deputies followed the vehicles east on Highway 20.
When the vehicles split off in different directions, Deputies attempted to conduct an investigation stop on the van when the driver, Christopher France, sped off at a high rate of speed. Deputies initiated a vehicle pursuit that traveled from Willits and ended near Upper Lake at the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 29 in Lake County.
With the assistance of California Highway Patrol, who took over the high-speed pursuit, a spike strip was deployed at the intersection of Highways 20 and 29 causing all four tires to deflate and bringing the vehicle to stop just south of the listed intersection on Highway 29.
France and an adult female passenger were quickly detained.
Deputies located evidence on France and in the van indicating his involvement in the burglary of marijuana/cannabis at the listed marijuana/cannabis farm. France was also found in possession of illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Deputies learned Willits Police Department Officers had located three subjects in a sedan vehicle located at a mini market and gas station at the intersection of Highway 20 and Main street in Willits. The vehicle matched the other suspect vehicle observed by Deputies fleeing the marijuana/cannabis farm.
A search of the vehicle revealed evidence that two of the subjects were involved in the burglary of the marijuana/cannabis farm. Two of the subjects in the vehicle, Brandon Langenderfer and Angelo Martinez, were taken into custody for the burglary.
Miranda Mullines who was in the vehicle with Langenderfer and Mullins was arrested for unrelated drug misdemeanor charges and a felony probation violation.
Deputies learned where the suspects were residing and went to a residence located in the 1000 block of Locust St. Willits where they found the stolen marijuana/cannabis hidden in a canvas carport.
Langenderfer and Martinez were booked into the Mendocino County Jail for 459 PC & 182 PC and were each to be held in lieu of $25,000.00 bail.
Langenderfer also had an additional charge of violating his Post Release Community Supervision probation (3455 PC).
France was arrested for 459 PC, 182 PC, 2800.2 CVC 11350 H&S and 11364 H&S. He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $50,000.00 bail.
Mullins was arrested for unrelated illicit drug charges and felony violation of probation 1203.2 PC. She was booked into the Mendocino County Jail and was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
