3 April 2014, The Sonora Police Department served a search
warrant on a residence located on Birch Street in Tuolumne City. The
warrant was the result of the Police Department receiving information
that Dean Bennett 49, was staying at the location and was in possession
of several firearms, which he was restricted from owning or having
access to as the result of a felony conviction.
The search warrant resulted in several firearms being seized.
Methamphetamine was also located inside the residence. Bennett was not
at the residence at the time, but Janice Ednes 58, was and she was taken
into custody for possession of methamphetamine. Later, a felony arrest
warrant was issued for Bennett, as a result of the search warrant.
14 May 2014, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department received
information that Bennett was back at the Birch Street residence. The
Sheriff’s Department surrounded the residence and after approximately
half an hour, Bennett exited the residence and was taken into custody on
the outstanding felony warrant. Also arrested was Ednes for harboring
Bennett.
Another search warrant was obtained for the residence by the
Police Department. Items located inside the residence this time were; a
sawed off shotgun with a sling full of shotgun shells, a walking cane
concealing a knife, a large amount of ammunition, methamphetamine, and
glass methamphetamine smoking pipes.
Bennett was booked on the arrest warrant from the April search
warrant, along with fresh charges of; being a felon in possession of a
firearm, possession of a sawed off shotgun, felon in possession of
ammunition, and felony possession of methamphetamine. Bennett’s total
bail is 225,000.