Late Wednesday night, Petaluma Police pulled over a man for a false registration tab and stumbled upon what appeared to be a mobile drug den. The suspect, identified as 60-year-old Sebastopol resident Todd Shipley, was cruising in a vehicle with license plates that didn't match, launching a string of discoveries leading to his arrest. According to the Petaluma Police Department's statement, suspicious behavior caught an officer's eye at the 5000 Block of Montero Way just a minute before the calendar turned to Thursday.

After Shipley was pulled over, it was swiftly confirmed that the vehicle's registration had long expired in 2013. This prompted the officer to stop and soon quickly tow the vehicle as per the towing authority. A routine inventory search revealed something far more troubling than outdated paperwork: underneath the driver’s seat, multiple packages of methamphetamine were found. On the person of Shipley, additional small packages of the same drug were discovered, neatly packaged as if ready for sale.

The Petaluma Police did not stop at just drug-related charges. Further investigations unearthed drug paraphernalia, alongside misappropriated debit and California identification cards, all adding to the rap sheet against Shipley. The entire methamphetamine haul weighed in at 90.8 grams, signaling a significant bust.

"Shipley was ultimately arrested on multiple violations," states the incident summary. He faces charges of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia, and misappropriation of property. Taken into custody, Shipley now awaits legal proceedings at the Sonoma County Jail.

The Petaluma Police Department has opened its doors for any media inquiries, directing questions to Lieutenant Matthew Parnow via email at [email protected], or by phone at 707-781-1204, showing transparency in the wake of the incident. Case number 24-1225 will be one to watch as it unfolds in the judicial system.