FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Federal officials have charged a fourth man in connection with last week’s deadly shooting of an El Dorado deputy.
Officials say the new defendant was part of a conspiracy run out of Mexico.
The fourth suspect, Jorge Lamas was allegedly overseeing two marijuana grows on land leased in Somerset and Georgetown.
On October 23rd, the owner of the Somerset property, Christopher Ross, called to report a theft.
El Dorado Sheriff John D’Agostini says his deputy Brian Ishmael responded to the scene.
“Upon arrival Brian immediately came under fire, and was shot and killed,” said Sheriff D’Agostini.
Three men were taken into custody immediately after the shooting, 47-year-old Christopher Ross, and two others, 20-year-old Juan Carlos Vasquez, charged with murdering Deputy Ishmael. 22-year-old Ramiro Bravo Morales, charged with being an accessory for trying to help Vasquez escape.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says a man named “Jorge” had also called 911, to report the shooting but he hung up once the dispatcher started asking questions.
U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said the call was traced back to 25-year-old Lamas of Yuba City, who was being paid to manage the two sites.
He was arrested two days later.
Lamas has been charged in a criminal complaint filed in Federal Court in Sacramento for conspiracy related to the grows and possessing a gun used during drug trafficking.
Click to hear the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
