Four Defendants Indicted For Committing A Home Invasion Robbery Dressed As Police Officers

SAN FRANCISCO – Four Northern California residents were charged by a federal grand jury in San Francisco with robbery affecting interstate commerce, conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, possession of a firearm in furtherance of the robbery, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, impersonating an officer and making a search or arrest while impersonating an officer, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

Michael Puckett, 45, of Petaluma, Calif., made his initial appearance in federal court this morning and has been detained. He is next scheduled to appear in court tomorrow for identification of counsel. Terry Jacksen, 46, also of Petaluma, Eric Mendonca, 43, of Lake County, Calif., and Jack Pollack, 54 of Lake County, made their initial appearances yesterday. Mendonca was released on a $50,000 bond. Jacksen and Pollack remain in custody.

According to the indictment and criminal complaint, the defendants conspired to commit a home invasion robbery in Lake County, Calif., on Oct. 4, 2012. On that date, Pollack cased a residence before Jacksen, dressed up as a Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy carrying a holstered revolver and wearing a white cowboy hat, knocked on the door and informed the occupants that he was working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was there to conduct a search. Jacksen then handcuffed and zip-tied the occupants before searching the house and stealing 48 marijuana plants. The complaint alleges that Eric Mendonca, a former Petaluma Police Officer and Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy, provided Jacksen with the police uniforms. During a search of Mendonca and Jacksen’s property on Dec. 19, 2012, law-enforcement authorities located a holstered revolver, a set of Lake County Sheriff’s Office handcuffs, a white cowboy hat, various firearms and a cellular telephone containing images of Jacksen and Puckett posing in Lake County Sheriff’s Office uniforms with firearms hours before the robbery. A search of Pollack’s residence uncovered approximately twenty pounds of marijuana.

The charges and the possible prison sentence each defendant faces are as follows:

Jacksen

• One count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years for each count
• One count of robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years
• One count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of robbery: Life, with a mandatory consecutive minimum term of five years
• One count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute marijuana: five years
• One count of impersonating an officer: three years
• One count of making a search while impersonating an officer: three years
• One count of felon in possession of a firearm: 10 years

Mendonca

• One count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years for each count
• One count of robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years
• One count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of robbery: Life, with a mandatory consecutive minimum term of imprisonment of five years
• One count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute marijuana: five years
• One count of impersonating an officer: three years
• One count of making a search while impersonating an officer: three years

Pollack

• One count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years for each count
• One count of robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years
• One count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of robbery: Life, with a mandatory consecutive minimum term of imprisonment of five years
• One count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute marijuana: five years
• One count of impersonating an officer: three years
• One count of making a search while impersonating an officer: three years
• One count of felon in possession of a firearm: 10 years
• One count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine: 40 years, with a five year mandatory minimum
• One count of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana: five years

Puckett

• One count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years for each count
• One count of robbery affecting interstate commerce: 20 years
• One count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of robbery: Life, with a mandatory consecutive minimum term of imprisonment of five years
• One count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute marijuana: five years
• One count of impersonating an officer: three years
• One count of making a search while impersonating an officer: three years

Each of the defendants pled not guilty to the charges. They are scheduled to appear in federal court in San Francisco at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2012 before United States District Court Judge William Alsup.

Assistant United States Attorney Randy Luskey is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Daniel Charlier-Smith. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Santa Rosa Resident Agency.

Please note, an indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, those named herein must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

(Terry Jacksen et al indictment )