K-9 unit sniffs out cocaine, fentanyl, stolen merchandise in Paradise

PARADISE, Calif. — A police dog in Paradise helped take dangerous drugs and wanted suspects of the street Tuesday night.

It started around 8:45 p.m. with a traffic stop in Paradise, according to the Paradise Police Department.

The PPD said Officer Archuleta stopped a driver for expired registration at Clark and Wagstaff roads in Paradise.

Officials said the driver was identified as Red Bluff resident, Jessica Tune.

One of the passengers were identified as Red Bluff resident Curtis Scott, who police said had two warrants for his arrest out of Tehama County, including a felony warrant for forgery and a misdemeanor warrant for shoplifting.

Shasta Lake resident Dustin Becker was also in the vehicle, according to police, and had a felony warrant for drug related charges, they said.

Officials said both Scott and Becker were taken into custody on the warrants.

According to Paradise Police, Sgt. Pickering directed police service dog K-9 Titan to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. K-9 Titan then alerted to the odor of narcotics, providing officers probable cause to search the vehicle, the PPD said.

During the search, officials said officers located cocaine, fentanyl, and pipes in amounts consistent with personal use. Officers also located stolen merchandise valuing over $950.

Police said the investigation determined Tune, Scott and Becker had been traveling between Redding, Chico, Oroville and Paradise, suspected of shoplifting merchandise from various businesses, including Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and SaveMart.

Police said Archuleta also determined Scott initially identified himself as his younger brother to avoid arrest for the warrants.

Tune was arrested for conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of stolen property, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Scott was arrested for conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of stolen property, providing false identification and the two warrants.

Becker was arrested for conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of stolen property, possession of narcotics and the warrant.