Prunedale >> Deputies arrested Christian Lee Baney, 18, and Luis Angel Navarette, 19, early Monday morning in connection to a series of destructive parties at vacant homes the past few weeks in North Monterey County.
According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Baney and Navarette had previously been identified as key individuals in hosting and coordinating the parties. When deputies arrived at Bluegrass Place in the Oak Hills area of Prunedale, they found a group of more than 100 teenagers. They began to speak to the carloads of teens and found Baney and Navarette. Deputies searched the vehicle and found Baney and Navarette in possession of prescription narcotics and alcohol. Baney was arrested on possession of narcotics and Navarette for probation violation.
“While it doesn’t seem like the charges are related to it, they are,” said Cmdr. John Thornburg, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office. “The big thing is we think it’s two of the people who’ve been organizing these, although there’s not necessarily a charge for organizing parties.”
According to Thornburg, the parties have been going on for about a month.
“They trash (the houses),” he said. “They typically break in (to the vacant houses that are up for sale). Once the alcohol gets flowing, they start busting out the walls.”
In addition to the vandalism, Thornburg said the parties create public safety hazards with underage people driving under the influence and also create traffic issues with more than 50 cars parked at some of the parties.
The location at Bluegrass Place was the third house the group tried to break into, Thornburg said. The Sheriff’s Office chased them away from the first two houses before they broke into the back door at the home on Bluegrass Place.
Thornburg said the Sheriff’s Office is hopeful the arrests will stop the illegal parties but it will continue the extra patrols started a week ago.
“We’ve been trying to get neighbors to let us know if it looks like something like this is setting up because everybody knows these houses are vacant,” Thornburg said. “So if people start seeing people show up, especially at nighttime when they know somebody’s not supposed to be there, just give us a call.”
You can reach the Sheriff’s Office at 831-755-3722 in the Salinas area, 831-647-7702 in the Monterey area and 831-385-8312 in the King City area. Anonymous tips can be left at 888-833-4847.
Tommy Wright can be reached at 831-726-4375.