On 02/4/2015 at about 1620 hrs, Deputy Jeff Tucker stopped a white Nissan Maxima for a vehicle code infraction in the 6200 block of Pleasant Valley Road. The Nissan was occupied by three adult males and one adult female. During the contact, the occupants were identified; one of the males was a validated Sureno gang member from Placerville. The female identified herself as 31 year-old Nalana Omega also of Placerville.

Deputy Tucker had the occupants exit the vehicle in preparation of having it towed. During an inventory check, a stolen Toshiba laptop computer from Santa Cruz was found. Also in the car, Nalana Omega’s purse contained a .40 caliber Glock handgun, loaded with a high capacity magazine, which was unregistered. In a backpack, a loaded .22 caliber revolver was recovered. The revolver was confirmed stolen from Citrus Heights. More suspected stolen property was found in the car that included mail and bank checks.

Passenger 27 year-old Rafael Cardoza of Diamond Springs was arrested and booked for possession of the stolen computer. Nalana Omega was arrested and charged with possession of a concealed weapon in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm, and carrying a loaded stolen firearm. At the jail, it was discovered she had suspected heroin, hypodermic needles and a meth pipe. Charges of possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of narcotics, and possession of narcotic paraphernalia were added.

The stolen mail and bank checks will be followed-up on by detectives.

On 02/03/15 at approximately 8:10 PM the Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 3200 block of Sand Ridge Road in unincorporated Placerville. A male adult was located deceased in the residence, positively identified as 55 year-old Pete Thomas. Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators responded to the scene to investigate the circumstances of the death. The investigation is on-going however it has been ruled as a homicide. Early reports of the use of a firearm were unfounded.

El Dorado County Sheriff’s detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect who robbed the Check into Cash business in Cameron Park on January 13^th, 2015.

The unidentified suspect entered the business, and passed a grocery bag to the teller while demanding money and brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun. The suspect left the store with an undisclosed amount of money and walked to the north.

The suspect was described as a white male adult, with freckles on his cheeks, approx. 20 years of age, 5’8” to 5’10” inches tall, with an average build, and strawberry blond or reddish colored short hair. He was last seen wearing a black baseball style hat, a black jacket, and dark-colored pants.

Although the images are grainy, anyone who knows this suspect is urged to call the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 621-5655 or Detective J. Densmore at (530) 642-4718. Anyone who has information on this subject and who wishes to remain anonymous can submit an anonymous crime tip via the sheriff’s website www.edso.org