Pubdate: Fri, 21 Dec 2012
Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA)
Copyright: 2012 The Ukiah Daily Journal
Contact: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/feedback
Website: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581
Author: Tiffany Revelle

INTERNAL AFFAIRS REPORT CLEARS MCSO CAPTAIN IN MARIJUANA CASE

The results of an internal affairs investigation on Mendocino County 
Sheriff's Office Capt. Randy Johnson regarding a federal marijuana 
raid on property associated with his relatives were released Thursday.

Sheriff Tom Allman announced in mid-October that an outside agency 
would conduct the investigation after the federal Drug Enforcement 
Administration served a search warrant on property associated with 
Johnson's relatives. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office did the 
investigation and gave Allman the 80-page report Dec. 13, finding 
that Johnson didn't know about any illegal activity and didn't 
participate in it.

Regarding the question of "if he knew about any breaking of the law 
and failed to report it, that was unfounded," Allman said. The SCSO 
also deemed unfounded the idea that Johnson was involved in any 
illegal marijuana growing on his relatives' property.

Addressing public perception that Johnson should have seen, smelled 
or somehow been aware of 500 marijuana plants growing on neighboring 
property, off of Highway 20 in Potter Valley, Allman said the report 
confirms his confidence that Johnson was not aware of them.

"If there were 500 plants...they had to have been indoor plants," 
Allman said. "I've seen 500 seedlings growing indoors in a closet."

The DEA did not disclose to Allman any information about the October 
raid and still won't discuss its ongoing investigation with Allman's 
office, or with the SCSO, he said.

"The DEA has not informed me that he's (Johnson) a suspect in any 
criminal investigation," Allman said.

DEA spokeswoman Casey Rettig said of the case Thursday, "The 
documents relating to the enforcement operation remain under court 
seal, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing."

Allman said he made himself and his staff available to the Sonoma 
County investigators, and has offered the results of the internal 
affairs investigation to the DEA in its investigation of the marijuana garden.

Johnson remained on duty during the internal affairs investigation.

"I do not have a 1-percent belief that Capt. Johnson was involved in 
any criminal act or knew of any on (his family's) property," Allman 
said, adding, "If your readers have information to the contrary, they 
can contact me or the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and I'll give 
them the name of the guy who did the internal affairs investigation."

Callers can contact Allman at 463-4085.
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