Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jan 2016
Source: Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA)
Copyright: 2016 Appeal-Democrat
Contact: 
https://appeal-democrat-dot-com.bloxcms-ny1.com/site/forms/online_services/letter/
Website: http://www.appeal-democrat.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1343
Author: Andre Byik, Chico Enterprise-Record
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

TRIAL ORDERED FOR FORMER YUBA DEPUTY

A former Yuba County sheriff's deputy was ordered to stand trial in a 
Butte County weapons case.

Butte County Superior Court Judge James Reilley on Wednesday ruled 
there was enough evidence to try Christopher Mark Heath, 37, of 
Oroville, on a single felony count of possession of an assault weapon.

Heath's wife and codefendant, Tatum Heath, 35, had her single count 
of possession of an assault weapon reduced to a misdemeanor.

The Heaths have pleaded not guilty. They are scheduled to be 
re-arraigned on the weapons charges Feb. 24.

Christopher Heath had been a deputy sheriff and narcotics task force 
agent at the Yuba County Sheriff's Office. He resigned Jan. 15, 
following his arrest Dec. 28 in York County, Pa., for allegedly 
trafficking nearly 250 pounds of marijuana.

During a preliminary hearing, Butte County sheriff's detective David 
Ennes testified the Heaths' home, along with several other 
properties, were searched Dec. 29 following Christopher Heath's 
arrest in Pennsylvania.

Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Jessica Miller, Ennes 
said authorities found two modified semiautomatic rifles in the 
couple's gun safe.

Each rifle  a .223 caliber Smith & Wesson M&P 15 and a .308 caliber 
Black Rain Ordnance Fallout 10  had its "bullet button" removed and 
replaced with a standard magazine release, Ennes said.

The Smith & Wesson rifle was purchased by Christopher Heath but was 
not found to be registered. The Black Rain Ordnance rifle was 
registered to Tatum Heath.

Further, Ennes said a 30round magazine inscribed with, presumably, 
Christopher Heath's initials also was found inside the Smith & Wesson rifle.

Neither weapon had been registered as an assault rifle, he said.

Under cross-examination by Christopher Heath's attorney, Roberto 
Marquez, Ennes said Christopher Heath, who was a law enforcement 
officer at the time the rifles were found, could legally possess 
30-round magazines.

Ennes added, however, a high-capacity magazine inserted into an 
AR-style rifle classifies the firearm as an assault weapon.

Law enforcement officers can be authorized by their employers to 
possess and own assault rifles. And Christopher Heath had been issued 
an assault weapon through the Yuba County Sheriff's Office, his attorney said.

Bruce Wristen, an investigator with the Butte County District 
Attorney's Office, testified the Yuba County Sheriff's Office did not 
have any record of a request from Christopher Heath to purchase an 
assault weapon.

Christopher Heath is scheduled to appear in a Pennsylvania courtroom 
on drug trafficking charges Feb. 11.
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