Sebastopol Man Arrested by Petaluma PD in Drug Bust

James Caulfield, a 40-year-old resident of Sebastopol, California, was arrested on August 16, 2023, by the Community Impact Response Team (CIRT) of the Petaluma Police Department, charged with possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of sales, transportation of methamphetamine for the purpose of sales, violation of probation, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended driver's license, according to a press release.

The arrest occurred at around 11:25 AM near Industrial Avenue and Corona Road, when CIRT officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop for false registration tabs on Caulfield's vehicle. Upon identifying Caulfield, officers found that he was on active Sonoma County probation and proceeded to search his vehicle, assisted by K-9 officer Jax, eventually discovering a total of 53 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a digital scale, packaging consistent with narcotic sales, and drug paraphernalia within the passenger compartment.

Earlier this year, a tragic incident involving a 34-year-old resident of Santa Rosa shook the community. The victim was shot multiple times near Guerneville Road and West Steele Lane, and through investigations, it was discovered that the victim was involved in the drug trade. Though Caulfield's arrest occurs in a different jurisdiction and time, it underscores the prevalence of drug-related activities in the region as both instances involve Sonoma County residents.