By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Based on reports that minors had been seen buying cigarettes and vaping devices at mountain area smoke shops, deputies from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station, on Monday, March 25, conducted a decoy operation, sending teenagers who were obviously too young to purchase tobacco products into smoke shops throughout the mountaintop area.
Deputies, armed with search warrants, began their investigation at Vanity Vape, located at 280 Highway 173 in Lake Arrowhead. A store employee identified as David Yohanna, a 63-year-old resident of Running Springs, allegedly sold a nicotine product to the underage decoy. A report was taken and sent to the District Attorney’s office, pending PC 308 (A) charges (furnishing any tobacco product or paraphernalia to a minor).
Next, deputies went to Mountain Smoke Shop at 23720 Lake Drive in Crestline, where Michael Hansen, a 54-year-old resident of Crestline, sold a nicotine product to the underage decoy.
According to Sheriff’s Public information Officer Lyndsi Garrett, investigators who authored and served a search warrant at the business discovered methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a loaded handgun in Hansen’s possession. Hansen, who is reportedly a convicted felon and thus prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition, was transported to the Sheriff’s Central Detention Center in San Bernardino where he was booked on charges of Felon in Possession of a Firearm (PC29800 (A) (1) and Possession of Drugs while Armed (HS 11370.1 (A).
Anyone who has information about these cases (No. 052400475 and No. 052400478) is asked to contact Deputy Omar Romero-Rios at the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station at (909) 336-0600. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip hotline at (800) 78CRIME, or leave information at the We-Tip website at www.WETIP.com
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