10 arrested in odd La Porte incident

Locals detained group after theft of snowmobile outside bar

A group of La Porte area residents detained a group of 10 alleged miscreants until authorities arrived to arrest them on suspicion of burglary, theft and assault.

Eight Yuba-sutter adults and two juveniles were arrested by the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office after allegedly stealing a snowmobile from outside a bar and breaking into a nearby cabin.

The suspects – all from Olivehurst and Live Oak – were arrested on charges ranging from criminal conspiracy and burglary to grand theft and assault, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

The sheriff’s office first received a report of a stolen snowmobile from the La Porte area at 2:23 a.m. Sunday.

Richard O’rourke, a longtime La Porte resident, said two snowmobiles were stolen outside of Reilly’s Saloon and Café by the suspects.

Once the sled owners noticed the machines were missing, they began looking for the snowmobiles with a group of other residents, he said.

The suspects were reportedly driving the snowmobiles around the main town area, O’rourke said, so residents were able to locate and follow them.

Then the sheriff’s office received a call around 4:45 a.m. that several of the suspects had broken into a cabin in the area.

Yet another report was made at 5:32 a.m. that several citizens had found the stolen snowmobile and were detaining numerous suspects.

“They found the cabin they were staying in, and they trapped them over there by barricading them in with cars so they couldn’t get out of town,” O’rourke said. “They didn’t let them out and put a call in to the Yuba County Sheriff, who responded first.”

Yuba County deputies detained several suspects until the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office arrived. After an extensive investigation, the 10 suspects were arrested, according to the press release:

Gary Wayne Clark, 38, allegedly attempted to run over one of the victims with a stolen snowmobile. He was arrested on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent, criminal conspiracy, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and grand theft.

Jeremy Lee Copenhafer, 34, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, burglary and violating his parole.

Douglas Baltezore Jr., 21, was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of stolen property.

Mona Dea Aebersold, 40, was arrested on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent, grand theft, conspiracy and burglary.

Devin Douglas Aebersold, 18, was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of stolen property.

Sandra Arleana Eldridge Ramirez, 43, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Rayanna Len Whitley, 18, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, burglary, and possession of stolen property.

Patricia Daisylee Mobley, 33, was arrested on two outstanding warrants out of Butte County.

Two juveniles were also arrested on similar charges.

The adult suspects were booked into the Plumas County Jail. The juveniles were released to Plumas County Probation.