Pubdate: Fri, 25 Mar 2016
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

FOUR BUTTE COUNTY RESIDENTS INDICTED ON DRUG CHARGES IN PENNSYLVANIA

Harrisburg, Pa. - A federal grand jury has indicted four Butte County 
residents - including former Yuba County deputy sheriff Christopher 
Mark Heath - in a drug trafficking conspiracy, it was announced Thursday.

The defendants, Heath, 37, Tyler Neil Long, 32, Ryan Jay Falsone, 27, 
and Ramona Marcel Long, 56, all of whom reside in the Oroville area, 
were charged in a 19-count indictment with conspiracy to manufacture 
and distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, 
according to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith.

The four defendants were arrested Thursday and are expected to make 
an appearance Friday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District 
of Pennsylvania.

The indictment alleges that defendants participated in a conspiracy 
between about September 2014 and continuing to January 2016, 
according to a press release.

Ramona Long was arrested in Oroville on Thursday. The other three 
were arrested in Pennsylvania.

Ramona Long, mother to Tyler Long and mother-in-law to Heath, is 
accused of using her position as a supervisor at a U.S. post office 
in Oroville to allow packages of marijuana and drug money to be 
shipped to and from post offices in the Oroville area, according to 
the release. A rented post office box in Bangor also was allegedly 
used to receive drug money and purchase drugs from an individual in 
Pennsylvania.

About 200 pounds of marijuana and $500,000 in drug money were 
allegedly shipped between California and Pennsylvania in this 
fashion, according to the release.

Beginning about Dec. 27, 2015, Heath, Tyler Long and Falsone drove 
from California to York County, Pennsylvania, in two vehicles, 
according to the release. Heath had with him a loaded Glock firearm 
he was authorized to carry stemming from his position as a narcotics 
agent with the Yuba County Sheriff's Office. He was also carrying his badge.

Heath, Long and Falsone were arrested by the York County Drug Task 
Force and Penn Township police, according to the release.

Heath has since resigned from his position as a Yuba County deputy. 
He has been charged in Butte County with a felony count possession of 
an assault weapon stemming from a search of his Oroville home, 
following his arrest in Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty to 
the weapons violation.

Heath's wife, Tatum Heath, has been charged in Butte County with a 
misdemeanor count of possession of an assault weapon. She has pleaded 
not guilty as well.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom