The following is a press release issued by the 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 12-16-2021 about 10:39 AM Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 23000 block of Hopper Lane in Covelo, California.
Deputies were advised of a disturbance involving two subjects, along with another call of a possible shooting in the area.
Upon their arrival, they noticed live 9mm ammunition on the ground in front of the residence. Deputies contacted Charles Whipple at the location, who lives in a small one room cabin.
Deputies conducted a consent search of his residence and located more live ammunition in various calibers. This ammunition was found in plain view on a shelf and Deputies established probable cause that Whipple had seen the ammunition in his cabin.
Deputies learned Whipple was a prohibited person and was not allowed to possess ammunition.
Whipple was arrested for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person [30305(A) PC]. Whipple was booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to held in lieu of $15,000.00 bail.
