Father-son arrested on drug, weapons charges

After a three-month investigation, South Lake Tahoe father and his 23-year-old son were arrested Jan. 22 on a slew of drug and weapons charges.

A high-risk search warrant was served at the Tallac Avenue residence Thursday night by South Lake Tahoe police officers and South Lake El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team members.

Arrested were Richard Martin, 55, and Joshua Martin. The father is accused of possession of ammunition by a drug addict and possession of firearms by a drug addict. The son faces charges of possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of ammunition by a drug addict, and possession of firearms by a drug addict.

In November, Joshua Martin was reported to the police as a suspicious person standing in the parking lot of the jail with an adult female. A police K9 found heroin and marijuana packaged for sale, needles and other paraphernalia in his vehicle, according to officers.

Martin and Kimberly Doig, 35, of South Lake Tahoe were on charges of being under the influence of a narcotic and possession of narcotics for sale.

In December, SLTPD patrol officers arrested Martin after a traffic stop. He was allegedly driving under the influence of a narcotic substance. A K9 officer found a needle and a metal spoon displaying burn marks, along with about one pound of packaged illegal marijuana, according to officers. Martin and passenger Anthony Lelis, 25, of Santa Rosa were arrested on charges of being under the influence of a narcotic, unlawful possession of drugs and narcotic paraphernalia and sales of controlled substances.

On New Year’s Eve, Martin was again arrested by SLTPD. This time he was accused of a shoplift burglary at Big 5 Sporting Goods. He was in the company of three adults associated with the Tallac Avenue address. The investigation into that case is ongoing. Police charged Martin with burglary, saying he stole from the store Dec. 30 and Dec. 31.

On Jan. 16, officers responded to Barton Memorial Hospital regarding a gunshot victim. Martin had been shot in the hand. Officers said Martin told them he accidentally shot himself while cleaning a handgun at home. While Martin was at Barton, El Dorado County sheriff’s deputies engaged in a pursuit of the vehicle registered to his father, Richard Martin. SLTPD officers assisted deputies when the pursuit concluded within the city. The male driver fled on foot and was not immediately identified and captured.

“A number of various recent contacts between patrol officers and current parolees, and others with prior felony criminal convictions established a common link to the residence on Tallac Avenue. These contacts indicated the likelihood of illegal drugs being sold from, and consumed at, this residence,” officers said in a statement.

Inside the house, investigators discovered suspected heroin and unlawful drug paraphernalia, a shotgun, rifle and two handguns, along with ammunition.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report