MENDOCINO Co., 11/25/17 — The following press release was issued by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office concerning an burglary and assault that occurred on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This report has not been independently verified.
In brief, the three men were allegedly involved in an attempt to rob money and cannabis from a 62 year old woman with a medical marijuana permit. The woman was pistol whipped several times, but reported having no money or weed at her residence, having already harvested her few plants. The suspects allegedly fled, but were spotted, and arrested just north of Willits. The incident occurred in Laytonville on the 700 block of Branscomb Rd.
Here is the full press release courtesy of the MCSO:
“DATE: “November 25, 2017”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number:
2017-33964
Crime/Incident:
209(a) PC (Kidnapping for ransom or to commit Robbery)
245(a)(2) PC (Assault with a deadly weapon firearm)
459 /460 PC (Burglary)
12022(A)(1) PC (Armed in the commission of a felony)
182 PC (Conspiracy)
32 PC (Aids a principal in a felony)
Location:
700 block of Branscomb Road in Laytonville, CA
Date of Incident:
11-20-2017
Time:
4:39 PM
Victim(s):
Female Adult (62 years-old from Laytonville, CA)
Suspect(s):
D’wan Porter-Walker (20 year-old male from Oakland, CA)
James Richardson (49 year-old male from Discovery bay, CA)
Johnny Walker III (40 year-old male from Oakland, CA)
Written By:
Sergeant Joseph DeMarco
Synopsis:
On 11-20-2017 at about 4:39 PM, Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a reported armed robbery that just occurred at a residence in the 700 block of Branscomb Road in Laytonville, California.
The Sheriff’s Office dispatch center broadcast to responding Deputies that two black male adults armed with firearms fled the scene in an olive green colored Ford Expedition.
While Deputies were responding to the scene, a Laytonville Cahto Tribal Police Officer advised they had passed a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle description traveling south on Highway 101 in the area of the Shamrock Ranch in Laytonville.
The Tribal Police Officer advised over the radio that he observed two black males and a white male adult in the vehicle. The officer subsequently lost sight of the suspect vehicle south of the Shamrock Ranch.
While Deputies were checking the area for the suspect vehicle, another Deputy responded to the robbery scene and contacted a 62 year-old female.
The Deputy noticed the female suffered injuries to the left side of her face and head. The Deputy learned the female was inside her residence when she heard a knock at the front door. Upon opening the door the suspects pointed a gun at her and forced her back into her residence, where they demanded money and drugs.
When she told them she had neither of these things they pistol whipped her several times. They held her against her will until a family member soon thereafter arrived causing the suspects to flee on foot to Branscomb Road where they were picked up by the Olive green colored Ford Expedition.
The Deputy learned the female had a medical marijuana recommendation and grew a few plants for medical purposes, but the plants had been previously harvested.
During the initial scene investigation the Sheriff’s Office dispatch center advised someone called reporting a possible DUI driver or reckless driver traveling south on Highway 101 near Oil Well Hill and described the vehicle as an olive colored Ford Expedition.
Deputies in the area of Highway 101 and Reynolds Highway in Willits spotted the vehicle traveling southbound. With the assistance of the Willits Police Department and Cal-Fire Law Enforcement Prevention, a high risk felony car stop was preformed in the area of MPM 49 on Highway 101 just north of the Willits city limits.
There were three subjects in the olive colored Ford Expedition who were detained. They were subsequently identified as being D’wan Porter-Walker, James Richardson and Johnny Walker III.
The female identified the three subjects during an in-field viewing as being the suspects who had been at her residence.
Upon further investigation Deputies discovered Walker was on CDC Parole and Federal Probation for bank Robbery. Richardson was on PRCS (Post Release Community Supervision) out of San Joaquin County and had outstanding warrants for his arrest. Porter-Walker was on Formal Probation for possession of stolen property out of Alameda County.
All three individuals were transported and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on the above listed charges.
Johnny Walker was to be held without bail, Richardson was to be held in lieu of $256,000.00 bail and Porter-Walker was to be held on $275,000.00 bail.
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten”
