P. v. Buetler
About 11:13 p.m. on June 2, 2012, Glenn County Deputy Sheriff Barry Corbin and Detective Dan Blair were on patrol in Afton. Thefts of fuel and equipment had been recently reported in the agricultural area. The officers noticed a pickup truck without a front license plate and turned to follow. The truck sped away and the officers activated overhead lights. The truck failed to stop immediately and proceeded to turn on a gravel road. It finally stopped. Deputy Corbin recognized the truck as matching the description of a truck related to the thefts in the area. Defendant Chasity Lynn Buetler was driving. She was on parole. Morgan Marengo sat in the passenger seat. Bolt cutters were on the ground next to the truck. Marengo denied knowing anything about the bolt cutters. In the truck bed, Deputy Corbin noticed a large diesel-type pump with diesel fuel leaking from it, a metal fuel tank, and pieces of hose. Deputy Corbin contacted a victim of several thefts. The victim reported that his cousin had a pump that matched the description. Deputy Todd Ross went to the cousin’s property and discovered that a pump was missing and a padlock had been cut. Defendant and Marengo were arrested. The victim identified the metal fuel tank as belonging to him. The fuel tank worth $800 had been taken several days before the officers arrested defendant and her cohort. The cousin identified the fuel pump worth $900 as belonging to him.
Defendant pled no contest to an added count of grand theft and admitted two prior prison term allegations (1995 receiving stolen property and 1998 possession of a controlled substance) in exchange for dismissal of the remaining counts and allegations.
The court sentenced defendant to a term of five years, two years to be served in county jail and a suspended three years on mandatory supervision pursuant to Penal Code section 1170, subdivision (h)(5)(B). The court awarded 151 actual days and 151 conduct days for a total of 302 days of presentence custody credit.
Comments on P. v. Buetler