DA charges Josalyn Spagel with statutory rape and oral copulation of two male minor victims

 

I did a post on Josalyn Spagel's March 21 arrest which has some information on her including her other Humboldt Superior court case.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/03/josalyn-spagel-arrested-by-apd-and.html?m=1

Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm filed a complaint today charging Spagel with four misdemeanors. Count 1 and Count 2 PC 261.5 (c) more commonly known as statutory rape. Count 3 and 4 PC 287 (b) (1) oral copulation of a minor. There are two male minor victims.

2:12 p.m.: Arraignment was just completed. Spagel sat in court with her head down until her case was called. Humboldt Superior Court Judge Lawrence Killoran set bail at $20,000. 

Spagel said she can afford to hire an attorney, then mumbled something about being unsure so Judge Killoran appointed Conflict Counsel. She has a shaved head. Very different look than Facebook profiles.

Referral made for a supervised release report. OR bail on 3/27; trial confirmation on 4/7 and jury trial on 4/13.

I have included the detailed complaint. The complaint has a merged EPD case note. What that means might have to wait until the preliminary hearing.

Elections office says ranked choice voting will begin in 2028; not 2026

Humboldt County Elections office released the following statement just now.

Georgi Tonev charged in second case with human trafficking, intentional theft of wages, possession and cultivation of marijuana

 

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office has filed another case against human trafficking suspect Georgi Tonev. Arraignment originally scheduled for the afternoon was moved to the morning when the preliminary hearing for the first case is scheduled. The DA has filed a declaration and Order Shortening Time and a statement of probable cause as well as a declaration and motion to examine source of bail which is not in the system and the file for the second case is already with the judge.

Tonev already has a preliminary hearing scheduled in the morning in the first case. In that first case, on 3/18/26, the DA subpoenaed records from St. Joseph Hospital.

3/25/26: In CR2600915, preliminary hearing continued to 3/26. Deputy DA Carolyn Schaffer appeared on the case instead of Deputy DA Rebecca Buckley-Stein. Ms Andrea Sullivan is Tonev's attorney. In CR2601052, Tonev was arraigned and motion to examine bail was continued to 3/26. Preliminary hearing in this case is on 4/3. I will add a few more remarks from my notes from the courtroom this weekend.

"California is a safe haven for reproductive rights and gender-affirming care. In the face of ongoing attacks by the Trump Administration, I’m proud to sponsor legislation that strengthens our role as a safe haven."

 

California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced sponsoring three bills that strengthen protections for patient access to and provider delivery of reproductive health care and gender-affirming care in California. 

HCSO Detective Shane Steele testifies at convicted felon Christopher Diven's preliminary hearing

 

Convicted felon Christopher Diven has five open cases. Three 2026 cases; one 2025 case and one 2022 co-defendant case. I have covered Diven since 2022.

There were several people in Courtroom 4 today for Christopher Diven's preliminary hearings in the murder and firearm case. This was a special set today. Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge Christopher Wilson is in Courtroom 4 today. Two of Diven's cases were consolidated into one preliminary hearing.

HCSO Detective Shane Steele the only law enforcement witness today started the testimony at 9:30, was testifying at 9:45 a.m. and still on the stand at 10:15 a.m.

The preliminary hearing is still going on at 3:25 and was continued to tomorrow morning.

Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Schaffer is the prosecutor on this case. Deputy Public Defender Ryan McClurg is LaBranche's attorney.

There are a lot of other cases I am covering today that no other media has covered or is covering including this one and I am posting live  all day so I will update this post with brief notes and court minutes.

The court clerk did an excellent job with details and exhibits in the court minutes.

Details on all of Diven's cases and all previous coverage can be accessed via links I have provided.

Convicted molestor and sexual batterer Jarred Vaughan sentenced to 4 years in prison; has almost two years in custody credits

 

This morning, Humboldt Superior Court Judge Lawrence Killoran sentenced convicted molestor and sexual batterer Jarred Vaughan to 4 years in prison. He has 641 custody credits.

Vaughan resolved his case before preliminary hearing. He pleaded guilty to Count 3, PC 261 .5 (c) unlawful sexual intercourse; Count 4 PC 261. 5 (d) unlawful sexual intercourse ; Count 5 PC 287 (b) oral copulation with a minor and Count 6 PC 287 (b) (2) oral copulation. Counts 1, 2, and 7 were dismissed.

Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Schaffer is the prosecutor for this case. Deputy Conflict Counsel Zach Curtis is Vaughan's attorney.

Court minutes from today have more details. Links to previous coverage are provided which have details. 

First Amended complaint filed in Ray Christie's federal lawsuit against County of Humboldt

 

On 3/23/26, an amended complaint was filed in rancher Ray Christie's case against the County of Humboldt.

Larson LLP partner, Mr. Rick Richmond, is representing Christie. The case has been assigned to Judge Noel Wise at the San Jose location. Humboldt County Deputy Counsel Joel Campbell-Blair is representing the defenants from County of Humboldt.

The County's motion to dismiss the original complaint was scheduled for 6/3/26. Today was the dealine for Ray Christie's lawyers to respond to the County's motion to dismiss. The County of Humboldt then gets to file a reply to that response.

On 3/27, Humboldt County filed a motion to withdraw their motion to dismiss the original complaint and filed a motion to dismiss the first amended complaint. Responses are now due by 4/10/26. Reply by the County of Humboldt on 4/17/26.

I am not posting the entire 77 page first amended complaint. I have included photos, table of contents, relief Ray Christie is seeking and highlighted some excerpts. There is some new information including the mention of Humboldt County First District Supervisor Rex Bohn.

I hope this case makes national headlines and exposes Humboldt and the arrogance of those who destroy lives, reputations and how justice in Humboldt Superior Court if you are not a part of the Humboldt clique and cabal is non-existent.

Read for yourself the 35 count unified complaint for Daryl Jones

 

(Photo from preliminary hearing: John Chiv)

Tomorrow morning, terroristic and criminal threat suspect Daryl Jones is scheduled to be arraigned on information. There is nothing that happens at that hearing usually than not guilty pleas being entered and future dates being set.

I already have the charges. With 20 cases on all day and several other cases of interest on at the same time in the morning, I will cover Jones and update the post but I don't need to sit in a courtroom for dates. Anything could happen such as a last minute plea or a motion filed but I did not see anything when I left the Courthouse today. Even if that happens, it can be added later. I am just going to show up at the Courthouse tomorrow and do what I have for 12 years; cover multiple courtrooms and post based on experience, observation and the trust you have put in me for 12 years. Attorneys having to be in multiple courtrooms determines what gets called and no one knows until tomorrow morning how that will work.

People lived what happened; I did very detailed coverage of the preliminary hearing. At this point, the community is only interested in seeing consequences.

Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees had mentioned a unified information. If you read my last post, you know. If you look at the document I have included, you will understand.

Link to previous post I did on Jones which gives you access to all coverage of the preliminary hearing and all prior coverage on the case.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/03/judge-canning-holds-daryl-jones-to.html?m=1#more

I have included the 35 count unified information. Conflict Counsel Supervising Attorney Meagan O'Connell is Jones' attorney.

3/24: Trial setting on May 28. Jones in an orange jumpsuit.

Surprised to see one of my articles in the exhibit list for Kreis in his family law case; curious why tomorrow's hearing is in Humboldt and not Sonoma Superior Court

 

Tomorrow, there is a court trial scheduled in Gregory Kreis' family law case with his ex wife Brenda Elvine. It is scheduled on the Humboldt Superior Court instead of Sonoma Superior Court? It is scheduled in Courtroom 9. That is not an actual courtroom. It just means, this is a special hearing with a Visiting Judge from another county and they assign it a department tomorrow morning. 

3/24: It is scheduled for a full day as a special set and now shows Sonoma Superior Court  with Sonama Superior Court Judge S. Averill. 

With 20 cases on and several simultaneously in the morning, this case is not a priority.

This case was being heard in Sonoma Superior Court and sometimes there is a delay in documents. I checked and saved some documents from November 2025. I didn't see any new filings today in Humboldt e court that were different than what was filed last year when I checked. What changed to have the case be scheduled in Humboldt Superior Court?

Kreis is now an attorney married to Humboldt Superior Court Family Law Facilitator Tanya Ellis. If you are local, you are familiar that Kreis is a former Humboldt judge who had to resign after an agreement with the California Commission on Judicial Performance and lost his election. The CJP and a lawsuit involving Kreis and a former Humboldt County Public Defender made national headlines. I covered what came out in the CJP proceedings in real time. Kreis also took issue with a post I did with his wedding picture and my opinion of him. This is just a brief summary of Kreis and my coverage including his family law case.

I found it interesting that Kreis who has disparaged my writing and in open court to Visiting Judges Ksenia Tsenin and Judge Frederick Horn chose to include this post of mine in his family law case. I don't think Kreis has changed his mind about me or my writing. He has also included articles from two other local media. I just noticed my last name is typed as "Chivn."

Criminal proceedings suspended in 20 year old's attempted murder case; alleged victim is his uncle

 

20 year Felix Arbaugh is charged with the attempted murder of his uncle. On 3/18/26, instead of being arraigned on information, criminal proceedings were suspended. Defense declared doubt. Humboldt Superior Court Judge Steven Steward  noted that he also saw Arbaugh "making nonsensical statements" and certain body movements. Dr. Brunetto's reports are due 4/17/26.

4/17/26: Due to power outage, rescheduled for 4/20.

4/20/26: Found not competent to stand trial. Hearing- interest of justice on 4/23; placement hearing 5/15.

4/23/26: Hearing-interest of justice continued to 5/15 which is the same date as the placement hearing.

5/15/26: Hearing on interest of justice and placement hearing continued by defense to 5/29.

5/29/26: Hearing interest of justice and placement hearing continued to 7/15; referral made to Public Guardian and Dr. Roxanne Rassti for supplemental report.

7/15/26: Continued to 7/21.

7/21/26: Hearing interest of justice + placement hearing continued again to  8/7. I am no longer following this case.

It may start on April Fool's Day but if you don't want to pay $1.10 per hour to the City of Eureka for parking in certain areas, read the information

 

Will Make Parking Lots Great Again be suing the City of Eureka for this idea? Will John Fullerton now whine again that there isn't enough free parking for his employees and they may have to 😱walk a few blocks. Will the other MPLGA crowd survive a few steps?

All the lots around John Fullerton's office on 3rd and I will be paid. I just confirmed what I saw on the City of Eureka map with Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery and Assistant City Manager Pam Powell.

City of Eureka to MPLGA: FAFO vty

If I knew Troy Friedman was court clerk Bonnie Jennings ex, I am supposed to believe Judge Cockrum didn't before today?

 

On 2/23/26, the day his trial was supposed to start, Troy Friedman's pleaded guilty to an added count 2 false imprisonment. Count 1, the forcible rape charge was dismissed. Today, Friedman's sentencing was continued by Humboldt Superior Court Judge Kaleb Cockrum took Friedman's plea which was for probation but additional jail time is open and that is Judge Cockrum's discretion.

Judge Cockrum continued the sentencing today to 4/2. Judge Kaleb Cockrum made a disclosure about Humboldt Superior Court clerk Bonnie Jennings and wanted to reach out to Ethics hotline.

I knew and have previously reported that Jennings is Friedman's ex. I don't know when Judge Cockrum found out this information or if he knew. This is the kind of information that should have been disclosed before and defense had to know because Jennings was willing to be a character witness for Friedman.

I told you so Judge Cockrum and I was right about your bad ruling on Analia Martinez; will you fix it today?

 

Most of my readers, anyone that is associated with the the Humboldt County Courthouse and criminal justice system and the Humboldt County DA's office, law enforcement are familiar with repeat offender Analia Martinez, all her cases, her multiple arrests and violations of a protective order.

I am not going to link all the posts I have done on her.

A local attorney, her ex have restraining orders, I was going to get one and that option is still open.

Open Door saying she complied is a joke. I wrote that Humboldt Superior Court Judge Kaleb Cockrum should have never granted her mental health diversion given the evidence from her arrests and court records. Judge Steven Steward and Judge Timothy Canning took steps to protect the community.

To Judge Cockrum, I told you so. Unfortunately, this afternoon, the case is in front of Judge Cockrum. I was going to try and cover it live but I am already busy working non stop and this case got added last minute on the afternoon calendar. I am not the only one who noticed that because there are a lot of people interested in this case.

In addition to the three open cases on which she is on diversion, Analia Martinez has picked up a new 2026 case filed on 3/17/26 in which she is charged with 5 counts PC 273.6 (a) violation of a court domestic relations order on various dates. There is an arraignment scheduled this afternoon and on 3/30.

The DA filed a motion to terminate her diversion with an Order Shortening Time on 3/20/26.

If Judge Cockrum does not allow the motion to be heard and says the OST is untimely, he needs to remand Analia Martinez into custody.

It is his fault that Analia Martinez refuses to take accountability, change her behavior and continue to defy court orders. If the Deputy  Public Defender or whoever appears on this case continues to enable Analia Martinez, they can take her home and supervise her 24/7. Both Judge Cockrum and the Public Defender are respinsible for yet another repeat, unrepentant offender clogging up court, law enforcement time and other resources. In all the years I have covered Humboldt courts and all the cases for mental health diversion; only one successful outcome and that was Sean Allman.

I previously reported on Senate Bill 1373 spearheaded  by California Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and which has bipartisan support and calls for more stringent limits to revise the ill intended consequences of pre trial mental health diversion.

There is also a national bill to hold judges accountable for releasing repeat offenders with certain records for certain crimes.

Judge Cockrum needs to remand Analia Martinez because diversion has not worked, electronic monotoring has not worked and multiple court orders have not worked. 

Judge Cockrum remanded Analia Martinez into custody. 

CR2600943: OR bail on 3/25; trial confirmation 4/7 and jury trial on 4/13. Bail $15,000.

CR2301505 + CR2402981 +CR2303506: OR bail on3/25; motion to terminate mental health diversion on 4/7. Bail bonds in these three cases exonerated. In CR2301505, bail is $45,000. In CR2402981, bail is $60,000. In CR2303506 bail is $15,000.

3/25/26: OR bail continued after Public Defender Luke Brownfield disqualified Humboldt Superior Court Judge Lawrence Killoran. The case is now scheduled on 3/26 before Judge Kaleb Cockrum who allowed her to be out in the community by granting her mental health diversion.

3/26/26: OR denied by Judge Cockrum. Current bailbonds representative was in court. 

All cases scheduled for 4/7/26.

4/7/26: All cases continued to 4/10. Retired Humboldt Superior Court Judge Christopher Wilson had in chambers discussion with Deputy DA Carolyn Schaffer and Deputy Public Defender Emery Welton.

4/10/26: CR2301505 + CR2402981 +CR2303506 motion to terminate mental health diversion + reinstate criminal proceedings continued to 5/29. In CR2600943, defense request  to continuegranted for "further investigation." Trial setting on 5/29. 

5/29/26: All cases continued to 6/8. Court minutes do state new counsel but confusing with Public Defender remains "counsel of record. "

6/8/26: No substitution of attorney filed in e court. I checked again on 6/9. On 6/8, Mr. Mark Pelta has been retained; Public Defender relieved. All cases continued to 6/30.

6/30/26: All cases continued to 7/9 to obtain documents from providers.

7/9/26: Referral to probation for supervised release. OR bail in all cases on 7/13;  motion to terminate mental health diversion + reinstate criminal proceedings on 7/23.

7/23/26: Continued by defense to 8/6 to get revised treatment plan.

8/6/26: Continued by stipulation to 8/27.

1,000 jurors summoned for Logan Brewer-Hearst jury trial; 33 show up and 11 are not available tomorrow

I have been the only one reporting on convicted felon Logan Brewer-Hearst's 2024 drug and firearm  case. After many continuances, twists and intervention this morning, the jury trial scheduled for today faces yet another challenge. Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees is the prosecutor. Deputy Conflict Counsel RJ Leohner is Brewer Hearst's current attorney. Defense subpoenaed jail records on 3/16. A 1,000 jurors were summoned for today; 33 showed up and 11 are not available tomorrow. There is a hearing on 4/3 on a defense motion to strike prior conviction and Readiness Conference.

The jury trial was continued to 4/13. Conflict Counsel disqualified Humboldt Superior Court Judge Kaleb Cockrum. The trial has been assigned to Judge Steven Steward. More details in court minutes.

CAL FIRE Fire Captain Brook Hoalton has been named California’s EMS Educator of the Year

 

(Photo: CAL Fire)

"CAL FIRE Fire Captain Brook Hoalton has been named California’s EMS Educator of the Year, recognizing her outstanding leadership and more than 20 years of dedication to emergency medical services training. As EMS Coordinator for the Humboldt–Del Norte Unit, she oversees the readiness of more than 400 personnel, helping ensure high-quality care in one of the state’s most challenging regions. This recognition highlights her lasting impact on generations of emergency responders and the communities they serve."-- CAL Fire.

California paroles murder and rapists early and I am expected to believe they will do anything about gas stations charging $7, $8 or more?

 

(Screenshots from CA Energy Commission)

****If you suffer from TDS and are in denial of the reality and struggles Californians face and lack a sense of humor, you may want to scroll past this post. At first, I thought the press release was news of relief from high gas prices for Californians. If the CA dems can dish out opinions and criticism; they can handle the same.**

I don't know which overpaid, kumbaya, touch feely person with pronouns in their signature came up with this  condescending "what you need to know" but is annoying in California press releases and even more aggravating when Lost Coast Doofpost copies it and talks down to readers.

Thanks to the chaos of arrests and repeat offenders which was extra this week, I thought I had published this post on March 18

 

64 year old convicted sex offender James Michael Timmerman was booked into the Humboldt County jail on March 10 on a bench warrant for PC 290.013(a) failure to register as a sex offender.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2026/03/raise-your-hand-if-you-are-shocked.html?m=1

This afternoon, Timmerman was arraigned on that warrant in his 2025 case. Bail is $25,000. Preliminary hearing on 4/16.

He looks different than his photo on Megan's Law and he is a convicted sex offender who failed to register. Thanks to the Ninth Circuit ruling, I can't post his current photo until the outcome of this case. HCSO won't release photos if soneone is in custody even though Timmerman is a public safety risk.

4/16/26: Preliminary hearing continued by defense to 5/8.

5/8/26: Preliminary hearing continued by DA to 6/12 due to unavailability of witness.

Woman being given field sobriety test, lights up cigarette in middle of EPD interview, after further search, arrested and headed to the Humboldt jail

 

(Photos: John Chiv)

Posted on Facebook live. Now on blog.

Exact same location on 4th street as the HCSO stop earlier, except this one closer to 4th and L. Two Eureka Police vehicles, the woman dressed in black and barefeet is getting a sobriety test. Black Mercedes has a dent.

3:19 p.m. Black van left. EPD Sgt. Ryan Swanson spoke with them, they thanked him. EPD Officer Krisha White just placed the woman dressed in black in cuffs and they are doing a search. 

3:22 Whether she will be arrested was to be determined but now she is going to the Humboldt Hilton aka the Humboldt jail. In the middle of her interview, she says something to Officer White, is given a chance to go to her car and decides to light up a cigarette.

She was slurring her words. She told Sgt. Swanson that she does not need her cell phone, "you know where I will be." 

3:28 EPD is towing her vehicle.

65 year old Cassandra Marie Campbell was booked for VC 23152 (a) DUI and VC 12500(a) driving without a license. She was released on O.R.