Convicted felon and domestic violence suspect Joseph Larue was arrested by HCSO yesterday afternoon by HCSO Deputy Hal Esget on fresh charges and his Ramey warrant and booked for two counts of PC 30305(a) felon in possession of ammunition, PC29800(a), PC 1551(a), PC 422 criminal threats, PC29800(a)(1), PC 273 a(a) child endangerment, PC273.5(a), two counts of PC 496d(a), HS11370.1(a), HS11377(a) and PC 148 (a) (1) resisting arrest.
I just checked on his bail amounts. For new charges in Humboldt his bail is $35,000, for the Ramey warrant charges, it is $100,000. He has a fugitive justice warrant from Oregon with a no bail hold and 50 charges on that warrant.
I looked up Larue's court cases and Katina Baker's court cases. LaRue has 22 court cases when I checked e court yesterday.
Baker:
These are Katina Baker's charges from her 10/26 arrest. She posted bond on 10/27. There is no record of her being arrested again on today's jail log or Vinelink since she posted bond on 10/27.
I contacted HCSO PIO Meghan Ruiz to see if an updated press release is being issued and if it will include a booking photo. Although a Ramey warrant was issued, there was no case filed as of 1 p.m. today. Checked again on 11/5 at 2:20 p.m. and no case filed by DA. Ms. Ruiz also responded to me on 11/5 that "I am working on a press release about Joseph Larue. Yes, there will be a photo but not a booking photo (as it does not meet the requirement of posing a public threat, as he is currently in custody)."
A reader contacted me on October 31 with some details about Baker. Based on previous experience with tips from this reader and standard practice with any tip, I wanted to verify what I could. The reader asked me for confidentiality due to safety. Which is fine but then I had to omit details of how this reader has this "inside information."
The reader sent me information which if true is important for HCSO, the DA, the courts and the public to know. The tipster's email is confusing the way it is written indicating HCSO may know this information. While I am fine with keeping sources confidential; I will not be used by people who won't go directly to law enforcement; anonymously comment on other local media with snippets of what they send to me so there are zero consequences for them or the other media allow anonymous, unvetted claims.
There was a lot of information shared in the email sent to me. Some I cannot verify because it is being claimed by this person without any evidence provided. Such as information this person claims was said at a court hearing in a family law case and involving CWS. While the arrest of LaRue's charges confirm the child endangerment allegation by this tipster, family law cases have limited information I can access.
I checked both of Baker's family law cases today and there is no hearing on 10/30/24 which is Wednesday last week. LaRue has no family law cases with Baker. There was no date provided by the tipster so that is based on the reader's comment yesterday and emailing me on 10/31/24. I am not wasting any more time chasing down other claims including allegations this reader made about Michael Acosta being involved. If in the future, law enforcement or court documents substantiate any information that I could not verify right now, it comes from authority that is using their name and going on record. Not opinion, speculation and amateur sluething.
The tipster has shared Baker being arrested Safeway as the location of Baker's previous arrest anonymously in another local media's comment section.
With the above disclaimer, here is some information shared by this reader with me on October 31. I have redacted the name of the minor baby. You can compare some of the information with the charges and court records provided in this post and what I checked in e court today.
Excerpts from 10/31/24 email sent to me:
"A certain guy, Joe LaRue, who is on the run from HCSO that you posted about, we believe may have been in contact with Mr. Acosta or even hiding at his home. His girlfriend, Katina Baker was arrested last week in the Safeway parking lot with Mr. LaRue running towards the McKay tract to avoid capture, abandoning their infant child and leaving Katina in the store to take the heat. Acosta lives not far away along the McKay forest road."
"What's been unfolding has been nothing short of a tragedy for...and many details have been confided to ... that I don't think even the HCSO has but they do now."
"During a custody hearing on Wednesday over the infant baby of Joe and Katina (name redacted for the blog) with CPS yesterday, The elder Bakers were given custody of (baby). Katina bailed out by unknown sources prior to the custody meeting."
"After the hearing, and perhaps during? Katina mentioned that Michael Acosta is her attorney. That can't be. Or he's doing so illegally."
"This is a dangerous situation for Katina, being with a violent felon on the run, but the baby is safe, and is under armed guard by the family. And CPS is fully involved too. What comes out at the next or any court hearings I don't know."
HCSO Press Release (issued Nov 5 7:29 p.m.):
On Nov. 3 at about 10 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies were dispatched to the 200 block of Orchard Ln. near Fortuna after an anonymous tip was given that there was a possible sighting of wanted fugitive Joseph LaRue, age 38 of Redway.
HCSO coordinated a plan with the Fortuna Police Department (FPD) to apprehend LaRue, who had previously fled from law enforcement on two recent occasions. LaRue was wanted on charges of domestic violence, resisting arrest, child endangerment, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and threats to commit a crime resulting in death or injury to another person.
Upon contact with law enforcement, LaRue attempted to flee through the rear of the residence and a neighboring yard, requiring the deployment of a PepperBall—a non-lethal compliance tool. LaRue was eventually located and apprehended; at this point, he was searched and found to be carrying more than 5g of methamphetamine.
Further investigation of the scene revealed that LaRue and his significant other, Katina Baker, were in possession of a stolen vehicle. A search of the stolen vehicle further revealed more stolen property, including 12 firearms.
LaRue was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for the following charges:
Possession of Methamphetamine While Armed (H&S 11370.1(a))
Felon in Possession of Firearms (PC 29800)
Possession of Stolen Vehicle (PC 496D(a))
Possession of Ammunition by a Felon (PC 30305(a))
Possession of Stolen Property (PC 496(a))
Resisting Arrest (PC 148(a)(1))
Possession of Methamphetamine (H&S 11377(a))
Baker was cited and released on scene for Possession of Stolen Vehicle (PC 496D(a)).
HCSO would like to thank the public as well as assisting agencies who contributed to this successful fugitive apprehension, including Fortuna Police Department, Cal FIRE, and California Highway Patrol.
This case is still under investigation. Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.
Previous post:
https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2024/10/hcso-looking-for-domestic-violence.html?m=1
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