Investigation brewing in Tehama County

It’s official: the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the Juvenile Justice Center, which is located in Red Bluff and was the focus of a recent CN&R cover story (“Sex, drugs and guns,” by Meredith J. Cooper, Oct. 8). That story revealed allegations that some staff at the juvenile facility acted inappropriately—having sex with minors, offering to buy them guns and even doing drugs with them.

It took eight phone calls to track down the right person to confirm the rumor that the county was indeed looking into possible wrongdoing. That person was Dave Baker, an investigator in the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office. He said he’s helped out with the Sheriff’s Department’s investigation, interviewing about a dozen juveniles or former juveniles.

“We’re looking into inappropriate actions that may have occurred [in the juvenile hall],” said Deputy Eric Patterson, who is heading up the investigation that started about six months ago. He urges anyone with information that may help the case to call him at 529-7920 ext. 3033.