Crime Voice

Early this morning, a gunman bound a man and his girlfriend with duct tape before forcing his way into their Antioch home and stealing property.

At about 2:20 am, while leaving his home on San Joaquin Avenueto go to work, the victim was approached by a man in his early 20’s armed with a handgun. The attacker allegedly forced the victim back into his house, bound him and his girlfriend with duct tape, and stole several items, including the victim’s vehicle.

As soon as the gunman left, the victim called 911. Police spotted the stolen vehicle moments later, but the suspect fled the scene and managed to escape capture.

Thursday morning, San Leandro police raided several East Bay locations, confiscating millions of dollars in drugs and cash in a blockbuster marijuana bust, authorities reported.

About 1,000 marijuana plants, more than $150,000 in cash, firearms, and advanced indoor growing equipment were seized by authorities, San Leandro police Lt. Tom Overton said.

“It’s one of the biggest busts I’ve seen in 23 years,” Overton commented. The Drug Enforcement Agency aided police in the bust, which was the conclusion to a two-month investigation.

Officers managed to make six arrests, but the suspected leader of the indoor growing operation escaped. Near his lavish Berkeley hills home, Brian Molitaris, age 30, jumped from a steep 25-foot embankment into rocky terrain and fled the scene, Overton explained. Molitaris remains at large.

Molitaris was suspected to be involved in the indoor marijuana growth operation at two homes in the 7100 block of Buckingham, Oakland, one of which he owned. Police served simultaneous warrants to these homes, as well as Molitaris’ Berkeley hills home in the 6700 block of Elverton Drive and at a warehouse in the 2800 block of Chapman.

At the Chapman warehouse, police confiscated 400 plants.

In one of the Buckingham homes, authorities seized about an ounce of marijuana and $1,200 in cash. The house also appeared to be in the process of being prepared for a major growing operation, Overton explained.

An advanced upstairs harvesting room was found inside the other Buckingham home, as well as $100,000 in cash, 200 plants, at least 25 pounds of “finished product,” and two handguns.

In the Elverton home, 400 plants, around 6 pounds of finished product, and $50,000 in cash was found by authorities.

On suspicion of cultivating marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale, and increased possession of firearms charges in connection with the drug possession charges, police arrested six suspects- Patrick Fisher, 30, Noah Daar, 32, and Angela Deluca, 31, all from Oakland; Rosario Archimedes, 34, of El Cerrito; Leonardo Martinez, 22, of Berkeley.

Overton said he didn’t know how long the operation had been running, but it was clear that it was sophisticated and profitable. Noting that the cultivators used an elaborate combination of timers and electronic equipment that required minimal manpower, DEA agents described the operation as “very sophisticated.” Overton explained that “It looked like they had top-of-the-line equipment.”

Overton explained that Molitaris owned two homes that both valued over $1 million; the bare income Molitaris claimed he earned from a computer-related field was “nothing that would allow him to have that kind of lifestyle.”

Overton also explained that Molitaris had surveillance equipment spread across his home, and therefore likely saw police before they broke into his home. Molitaris must have escaped by leaving through a side door, jumping over railing, and tumbling down a hill. Overton said authorities found money that flew of Molitaris’ backpack, and explained that Molitaris likely suffered injuries in the fall. Molitaris is described as a 5-foot-8-inch, 180 pound, white male.

Overton stated that Molitaris’ disposition could be unpredictable because of his current predicament, despite the fact that he has no known violent history. “We don’t have any indication that he’s dangerous, but someone who’s running that kind of operation with that kind of money can become pretty desperate,” Overton said.

OAKLAND- Two brothers, Carlos Mejia Valadez, 24, and Cesar Valadez, 19, have been charged with stabbing a total of eight people at and party Sunday morning along with the kidnapping of three others.

The 19 year-old girlfriend of Carlos Valadez was also charged with kidnapping which took place after the three of them forced the hostess and two other to drive them from the scene.

The two brothers were charged with eight counts of assault with a deadly weapon and three kidnappings. The men are also suspect members of Hayward’s DGF gang and both have criminal records.

The Three of them lived together in the 1200 block of Thiel Road in Hayward and have a bail of $150,000 to more than $500,000.

Police are not entirely sure why the fight broke out. They think it might have been over a woman being pushed or over some other unknown personal dispute.

After the fight the three suspects lost the keys to their car so they forced the party hostess, her niece, and another man to drive them away.

The three of them were caught when Carlos Valadez went to Eden hospital for treatment of his injuries. A visit police quickly learned about and came to arrest them.

Aaron Seits. 24, is a self-employed electrician who was arrested after his house caught fire and the firemen who came to put it out found marijuana plants growing inside.

When this was discovered the firemen called in the police, who then contacted the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force.

The Narcotics Task Force agents found 1,298 immature and mature plants growing throughout the two story home. They also discovered 60 grams of packaged marijuana, cash, a loaded rifle and a loaded AK-47 with high-velocity ammunition magazines.

Seites is now faced with felony counts including possession of marijuana for sale, cultivation of marijuana and theft of utility service. He is also charged with two more felony counts that include illegal possession of an assault rifle and ammunition.

Seites is faced with seven years of prison and remains out of custody on a $175,00 bail bond. He is expected to return to the Hall of Justice on Feb.5 for his superior Court arraignment.

OAKLAND- Police have been contacted by a couple of women who may of possibly been raped by a man who has already been accused of beating to death a woman who was found on an Oakland hiking trail.

The man who is accused is Kenneth Jovan Washington who is already in custody after been found living with his mother in Fairfield on Jan 4.

Washington has been charged with forcible rape and three other sexual assault charges in addition with the Dec. 24 rape of a 19-year-old woman in Oakland.

The women who were sexually assaulted are still being interviewed by the Police.

Washington is also accused of evading a police officer in Alameda County on August 2006.

Police want to hear from other victims of Washington and are asking anyone with information to call homicide Sgts. Lou Cruz or Caesar Basa at 510-238-3821.