Recognize the photo, call Fortuna PD

 

Fortuna Ace Hardware knows Humboldt. Put out a Facebook post with photo, car and details.

Sunshine Massage owner and co-defendant fail to appear in court again, this time for sentencing

 

(Wang)

(Li)

I have been adding updates to the Sunsine Massage owner Rongqiu Li and his co-defendant Xiao Wang's February 6,2025 case since there have been many continuances and minor updates.

The booking photos were issued before the Ninth Circuit ruling. This is a 2023 case.

Today, both failed to appear in court again. This time for sentencing. A bench warrant was issued by Humboldt Superior Court Judge Kaleb Cockrum and held until 11/9.

Deputy DA Brandon Boozari appeared on the case for the People. Mr. Kevin Cole who represents both defendants was not present today. Mr. Zachary Zermay made a special appearance for him.

No one has followed the court case after the initial headlines. 

DA motion to continue Sparrow Albritton preliminary hearing is one of several such requests lately

 

Humboldt County DA filed a motion to continue the preliminary hearing scheduled for Sparrow Albritton. That motion was granted today so the 8/20 is now on for setting of preliminary hearing.

Usually, it is the defense that asks for most continuances and they did in this case but in the last few months, the DA's office has asked for more continuances in several cases than I have seen in 12 plus years of covering Humboldt Superior Court. Albritton has two 2026 cases; the Fortuna alleged molestation case and the CHP DUI and alleged child abuse case.

Alleged molestor Edward Neagu's second attorney did not even last two months

 

In my last post, I wrote alleged molestor Edward Neagu made a mistake letting go of Ms. Andrea Sullivan and hiring LA attorney Sarkis Jacob Babachanian. His new attorney lasted two montgs and has a motion to withdraw today when a date was supposed to be set for the preliminary hearing. Mr. Babachanian's motion to withdraw was granted by Humboldt Superior Court Judge Steven Steward. Setting of preliminary hearing continued to 9/8.

Brian Baldwin arrested by EPD on a warrant for forcible rape

Brian Keith Baldwin was arrested by Eureka Police Department yesterday on a warrant for PC 261(a)(2) forcible rape.

Last year, Baldwin was released from custody since the Humboldt County DA did not file charges after EPD arrested him for forcible rape.

When I did the July 1, 2025 post, Baldwin has 34 cases in the Humboldt Superior Court majority of them criminal. 

Blake Reagan hires Kathleen Bryson to represent him in his DUI case

 

Local muralist and painter Blake Reagan was arraigned this morning in his DUI case. He has retained Ms. Kathleen Bryson.

Trial confirmation is on 11/3/26; jury trial on 11/9/26.

Humboldt judges celebrate USA 250th anniversary by going into classrooms

 

Humboldt Superior Court Judge Steven Steward and a few others have already done this and visited classrooms. I have done previous posts.

Humboldt would be smart to hire Andrea Sulivan to lead a third office before another California county makes her a better offer

There used to be an Alternate Conflict Counsel's office in Humboldt. It closed in 2016. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted to re-establish the office. First sensible decision by the Humboldt BOS in a while.

When Conflict Counsel or the Public Defender's Office could not represent a defendant, there was a third office. If the third office could not, a private attorney would be court appointed.

I heard that Ms. Andrea Sullivan is being considered to lead that third office. She is currently in private practice but Humboldt would be smart to hire her. She is an excellent attorney, she has the background in other counties, she gets along with local prosecutors and other defense attorneys. 

Several Humboldt defendants and repeat offenders currently have private court appointed attorneys. Due to the number of repeat offenders and several Humboldt criminals involved in cases against each other and the local conflict panel of appointed attorneys, Humboldt has to hire out of area attorneys. Whether this will save money, show me the stats.

I also heard Gregory Kreis is also being considered to lead this office.

I have contacted the CAO's office about both Ms. Sullivan and Kreis.

Cati Gallardo, PIO for the Humboldt County Administrative Office responded to my email.

"The County of Humboldt continues to move forward with reestablishing an Alternate Conflict Counsel’s office in response to increased need for indigent defense services. Hiring staff for this office is a personnel matter, and for that reason the county will not comment on individual recruitments.

Thank you for your understanding."

Deputy DA Jessica Watson could not win against pro per Jorden Sterling and she wants to be a Humboldt Superior Court judge?

The biggest disappointment last week and one of the biggest failures in 12 plus of years goes to the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office from last week. I have put off updating Jorden Sterling's cases because I have been busy and already wasted enough time on all his cases. More time is wasted on the many Humboldt cases which I follow for months and years and they end up with defense requesting mental health diversion and often at the last minute.

Deputy DA Jessica Watson applied for the  vacancy in Humboldt Superior Court created when Judge Joyce Hinrichs retired. She couldn't even successfully prosecute against a pro per incompetent who had one of his numerous filings rejected and dismissed because Jorden Sterling did not even enter the correct name of the court he is suing. He should know this basic fact after all the cases he has in Humboldt Superior Court and has filed against Humboldt Superior Court. The civil cases were filed under Jorden Place because these were filed after his petition for a name change was granted.

The first mistake by the DA was dismissing the case against Melissa Sterling, Jorden's mom. She was represented by Ms. Andrea Sullivan who obviously looked at the case and showed the DA the reality. 

Then putting Melissa Sterling on the stand. That wasn't disastrous enough. After a 11 guilty to 1 not guilty mistrial in another Jorden Sterling criminal case, the DA's office caved in and gave Jorden diversion in 3 or his criminal cases. The Humboldt County DAs office will retry criminal cases two or three times but gives in to Jorden and cannot try a case again where 11 jurors were for guilt.

Will the DA lose the 4th criminal case against Jorden? After last week, I have to ask that question. I do not recall any prosecutor losing a criminal case to a pro per defendant.

What does the County of Humboldt do when they lose repeatedly? Double down

 

I reported on this lawsuit first and for months before, as usual, certain other media did some random coverage. I provided screenshots of all my coverage to make an obvious point. Each of my posts has chronological and minor updates.

What does the County of Humboldt do when they lose repeatedly? Double down. Humboldt Deputy County Counsel Joel Campbell-Blair must have motion to dismiss and demurrer on a template so he can make minor edits to the numerous lawsuits against the County.

Humboldt Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Timothy Canning took the County's demurrer under submission.

Clerical error leads to non appearance by parties in Humboldt Superior Court case

 

Clerical error leads to non appearance by parties in Humboldt Superior Court case.

The reason for this post is because the civil clerk's department has the highest turnover and it has been the worst in the last year. I already wrote about the clerk who did these minutes taking a pay cut from an assistant supervisor position to return to the courts. Gina's return is good for the courts because she is experienced and civil minutes get done the same day. Bad for the public. Zach, another civil clerk who was excellent left. For a good reason, I heard to go to law school. 

The civil clerks that are left are overwhelmed. Errors will happen. There will be a backlog.

The Humboldt judges need to stop allowing certain pro per vexatious litigants to clog the system with gazillion lawsuits. I just wrote about one recently that was dismissed because of the error of a pro per litigant who couldn't even get the court's name correct. That person will just refile because the lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice.

If you read my blog regularly, you should be familiar with certain names. Analia Martinez was declared a vexatious litigant but it took years. Kyra Kelly and Jorden Sterling aka Jorden Place are two others with several lawsuits, multiple filings and both have one open criminal case. Both have common people and a reason in all these filings and several civil lawsuits.

The current supervisor AJ needs to do less trainings, whatever those are and fix the department she is in charge first. That is when she is around. After leave for months, she comes back and I am on the second floor of the Courthouse and overhear she is leaving for the day.

The civil department affects attorneys, their paralegals and people with valid cases. The online portal is up and running. I was told that soon attorneys and litigants will be able to get a token which allows them more access than what is visible to the media and public. E filing for civil cases has been talked about and with the online portal up and running, it is closer to reality. All this positive work by Humboldt Superior Court Operations Manager Kelly Nyberg and Assistant Operations Manager Scott Anderson gets overshadowed by the short staffing and issues caused by the very same people who cause me stress and frustration and impede my work.

These people often have criminal, civil and family law cases that are the underlying issue. They have never faced consequences, have enabling families, plenty of time to waste and are drama.

There are tools available to Humboldt Superior Court judges. 

Media, attorneys and people with valid claims follow the local rules. It is time to stop coddling people who need to grow up and face consequences instead of turning Humboldt into the temu daily reality show. 

Jane Doe's childhood abuse lawsuit against Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District to proceed to trial

 

In February, I reported on this lawsuit filed by Jane Doe vs Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District et al. That was the first hearing in this case.

Jane Doe is now 22.  According  to the lawsuit,  she was "approximately (7) to (8) years old" and the sexual assaults and abuse took place during the 2009-2010 school year. Jane Doe was enrolled at Hoopa Elementary. Joseph Saint Orozco was employed at Hoopa Elementary and is Jane Doe's abuser. 

The lawsuit was filed on August 15, 2025. Jane Doe is represented by Mr. James Warren Lewis, partner at Slater Slater Schulman LLP which is in Beverly Hills.

Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District's attorney is listed as Mr. Brian Duus, attorney at Leone Alberts & Duus APC located in Concord.

Convicted molestor Orozco still has no attorney. 

If I recall the court minutes for the last hearing, Orozco was not present. On 8/10/26, there is trial setting scheduled for 10/19/26.

If you want more details and to read court documents, read the previous post.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/02/jane-doe-sues-convicted-molestor-joseph.html?m=1

Court coverage is time consuming. To be in the courtroom and cover 40 cases a day for 12 plus years costs me financially. Only in the last month, have I cut back on in person coverage. It isn't necessary for mostly minor update and continuances for months. I still spend time daily on court records and I still get scoops and exclusives. After 12 plus years, people's interests have evolved, I cover a lot more than courts and I cover cases that take on the good ole boys and gals, including this one, where there is risk. I do this despite 12 plus years of no investment by Humboldt for my work.

Other local media has been MIA for years until recently in the courts. To ask for money to cover courts after a few months and some random coverage weeks after I have reported on cases takes gall.

Most of Humboldt is not going to pay. Humboldt has always been cheap; especially those with the money and monopoly. 

There are still people who email me despite the online portal, despite years of opportunity to contribute and use one of the options for convenience. I no longer respond to such inquiries. I will continue to cover what I do for my loyal readers and the lawyers who make a very frustrating task and especially cases where attorneys stand up for vulnerable victims.

My time is now spent working with people who support me and fund me. That is how any business works. Those who support me do not contact me when they need something nor do they ask for anything. 

Dan Dobbs arrested by HCSO on drug charges

 

Another day and the Humboldt jail log is full of repeat offenders. I saw a name that will be familiar to anyone who has been in Humboldt for more than a decade and definitely known to law enforcement and Southern Humboldt.

Daniel Craig Dobbs was arrested by HCSO yesterday evening for HS 11364(a) possession of drug paraphernalia and HS 11350 (a) possession of a controlled substance. He was released on O.R.

These are just some of the posts I did on Dan in 2016.

Dano does not look like his previous booking photos. He has a beard now.

Remember this 2014 press release from Ferndale Police Department.

"On August 24, 2014 at approximately 1:30 pm, Ferndale police officers responded to the Gingerbread Mansion Bed and Breakfast, 400 Berding Street, regarding a suspicious male acting strangely.  Upon the officer’s arrival at the Gingerbread Mansion, the Ferndale police Officer contacted Dan Craig Dobbs, 40 years old, Garberville, CA, outside the establishment on the porch.

Dobbs claimed he was a past guest of the Gingerbread Mansion and wanted to rent a room. Dobbs said he entered the bed and breakfast and walked to the third floor in order to look at a room he wanted to rent. Dobbs claimed he had “only” had a sip of wine from a wine bottle located next to the establishment’s guest registration log book, on the first floor. 

The officer spoke with management and learned Dobbs had actually walked upstairs, entered two separate private hotel rooms.  While Dobbs was inside the first private unoccupied hotel room, he stole a bottle of wine from the room and exited the room.  Dobbs then immediately walked into another unoccupied private hotel room and opened the sealed bottle of wine.  Dobbs exited the second room, walked to the first floor, retrieved a wine glass and returned to the second private hotel room.  While inside the hotel room, he began drinking the wine.  The wine was valued at approximately 40-50 dollars. 

Furthermore, Dobbs claimed to be the owner of the establishment to management and staff.  At some point, Dobbs walked into the kitchen area, and without permission, began opening and looking through kitchen drawers and cabinets along with the refrigerator and freezer. During Dobbs’ visit, he walked into one of the rooms reserved for staff and began pointing at things within the room and claimed they were stolen from him.

After the officer conducted a full investigation, Dobbs was arrested for burglary.  Ultimately Dobbs was transported to the Humboldt County Jail where he was booked for burglary. "

10 years later, Marci Kitchen's name resurfaces in a PRA request from Las Vegas

You can read the entire request from EWU Media LLC at:

https://humboldtgov.nextrequest.com/requests/26-1215

Jack Rawson waives probable cause hearing in money laundering case

 

If you have not read prior coverage, check the October 9 post for the charges and updates on the criminal case for Jack Rawson as well as the4 civil cases which includes Jack and Julia Rawson suing the People and vice-versa. The Rawsons are represented in the civil cases by  Ms. Shelley Addison. At the last hearing on the civil case, the lawsuits were continued until the criminal case concludes.

Jack Rawson has retained Gregory Kreis for the criminal case. On 8/14/26,  Rawson waived his right to a preliminary hearing in the 2025 case. When a defendant does that, that means the person is held to answer as charged in the complaint without a probable cause hearing.

The criminal case proceeds to the next step which is being arraigned on charges for a jury trial. Arraignment on information is on 8/28/26.