Copperopolis, CA…On 9-7-17 Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office detectives served a search warrant at two locations on Woodland Avenue in Modesto and D Street in Oakdale. At the Oakdale location, Justin Labass (age 29 from Oakdale) was arrested for violations of 487(a)PC – Grant Theft, 459PC – Burglary, 496(a)PC – Possession of Stolen Property, and 30305(a)(1)PC – Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. Justin Labass is being held in the Calaveras County Jail with $105,000 bail.

As the Sheriff’s Office previously reported, on 8-31-17 deputies responded to Lake Tulloch in Copperopolis for a report that four boats had been stolen from the Poker Flat and Conner Estates areas. The boats were taken, striped of valuables and left floating on the lake. Three of the four boats were recovered. The fourth boat a white 2006 North River fishing boat CF#0577RL is still missing.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office Marine Safety Unit and Detectives have been working these cases and following up on leads. Yesterday, during the service of the search warrant, detectives recovered numerous items that were positively identified as stolen from the boats as well as several other theft cases from the Copperopolis area. Justin Labass is currently on Post Release Community Supervision and a previously convicted felon. He was charged accordingly as a prohibited person when ammunition was found during the service of the search warrant.

The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the community for their cooperation and tips we received during this investigation, including members of the public offering their private surveillance footage to be reviewed. This was a great opportunity and example for Community Policing.