Two recent arrests in Healdsburg for drug and firearms violations, both publicized by Healdsburg Police on their social media platforms, raised eyebrows among readers and residents as they demonstrate that the crimes of firearms and narcotics are not limited to urban areas, but are present in Healdsburg as well.
Though police doubt that the two incidents are directly related, Sgt. Frank Patane—who was present at both arrests during last week’s activity—said, “It’s pretty alarming that this is happening within the city on a day-to-day basis.”
The first, on Tuesday, Oct. 22, was reported on Facebook by a post that included a photo, taken between the Veterans Memorial Bridge and Hwy 101, of a sporty Mazda Miata with two police cars behind it. The driver of the vehicle, pulled over for driving at an excessive speed across the bridge (which has a 15 mph speed limit), was identified and found to be under a court order authorizing a search for weapons.
The search was conducted, revealing a significant amount of “alarming items,” according to the Facebook post. Among them: Two loaded firearms with large-capacity magazines, along with various calibers of ammunition; multiple bags of suspected cocaine, with various packaging and sales materials; a homemade destructive device; and numerous prescription medications.
The passenger in the car was a juvenile, so charges filed against the driver, 41-year-old Zachary Gillis-Jones of Santa Rosa, included felony child endangerment. Following this incident, officers also executed a residential search warrant in Santa Rosa, uncovering additional evidence, although the charges filed and the image on Facebook reflect only evidence recovered at the car stop on Healdsburg Avenue.
The suspect remains in custody as of this writing, charged with transporting a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance while armed with unregistered firearms, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, and possession of a destructive device, large-capacity magazines and armor-piercing ammunition. Bail is set at $250,000, with a court appearance scheduled for Nov. 5.
Residential Search
The other case took place two days later, on Oct. 24, this time based on evidence uncovered at a local home by a residential search warrant. The warrant was filed following the Oct. 8 arrest of two men near Lytton Springs Road for transporting narcotics for sale, according to Sgt. Patane.
On Oct. 24, as police were headed to search the eastern Healdsburg home of one of the men, the suspect was seen walking nearby, and detained. The search continued at the nearby house, where another individual—presumed to be the brother of the first man—was in residence. Both men were detained while the search of the house took place.
Evidence collected included a significant rock of methamphetamine. “I think we weighed out, but in essence it is a little bit more than 5.41 ounces total package weight,” Patane said. A photograph posted on Facebook showed that the evidence collected included not only suspected methamphetamine, and various packaging and sales materials, but also two revolvers and ammunition.
Most of the evidence collected was found in the room occupied by Kerry Bergman, 68, a convicted felon prohibited from being in possession of firearms. He was charged with numerous felonies pertaining to possession of firearms and narcotics, and taken to the Main Adult Detention Facility in Santa Rosa. Records show he was released the next day.
His brother Stephen Bergman, of the same age, was charged with misdemeanor offenses based on the evidence collected in his room. Police used “indicia,” or distinguishing information, to identify which brother lived in which room.
The revolvers appeared to be a Smith & Wesson .38 special or similar, and an antique or antiquated Colt .36. When asked if the same laws on possession of illegal firearms apply to “collectible” or antique guns, Sgt. Patane said, “He’s not allowed to be in possession of a firearm, because he is a convicted felon and a prohibited person. Now if just a random person has a vintage firearm that’s not registered to them—I’d have to double check, but I do believe that charge is not applicable to them.”
Whether or not the two incidents, so close in time and both in Healdsburg, were related was discounted by Sgt. Patane. “I would say that they’re isolated incidents,” he said. “It just so happened that they occurred within two days of each other.”
