New Haircut and Wardrobe Change Not Enough to Evade Police

New Haircut and Wardrobe Change Not Enough to Evade Police

SACRAMENTO—A new haircut and wardrobe change was not enough to disguise a suspect trying to evade officers. Sacramento Police say an 18-year-old man took off running on Monday afternoon, May 26, at approximately 3:15 p.m. after they approached him and a woman along Del Paso Boulevard, north of El Camino Avenue in Sacramento.

The teen, identified as Justin Berger, allegedly threw a gun into a backyard of a home in the 2500 block of Erickson Street in North Sacramento and began jumping fences. Officers set up a perimeter in the neighborhood and used air and K9 units to search for him. Several homes were evacuated during the search.

Police say they believe Berger hid inside a home where he was allegedly helped by a friend, Valente Ortega, 32. He had changed his clothes and cut his hair before trying to escape. He was spotted by a police helicopter on the side of a house on the 900 block of Frienza Avenue. There, officers found Berger hiding in a trash can, but with his new look.

Berger was arrested on suspicion of evading arrest, having a concealed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm registered to another individual and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Ortega was arrested for assisting Berger and the woman Berger was with earlier in the day, Lisa Colleen Lester, 33, was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale.

Lisa Lester (Facebook)

Lisa Lester (Facebook)

Lester, who was seen with Berger when she was with him on Del Paso in a parking lot, was likely conducting a narcotics sale at the time to Berger when he panicked and fled. Ms. Lester has a long history with Sacramento law enforcement, going back to at least 2005 when she was arrested for vandalism and throwing something at a vehicle. That was followed in 2006 with an arrest for vehicle theft and possession of stolen property and drug paraphernalia. In 2009 she was charged with a number of vehicle code violations along with possession of a stolen vehicle. 2011 saw a marijuana possession charge, and in October last year she was charged with possession of narcotics for sale and battery with injury.

New Haircut and Wardrobe Change Not Enough to Evade Police was last modified: May 28th, 2014 by admin
Categories: Sacramento

About Author

Lisa Kopochinski

Lisa Kopochinski is a freelance writer and editor who has written articles on numerous topics from crime, social justice and environmental issues to construction, travel and business profiles. Her work has appeared in the Sacramento Business Journal, Comstock’s, and many trade publications in both the U.S. and Canada. She can be reached at LKopochinski@unitedreporting.com.