Antelope Valley Raves busted
LANCASTER—Three people were arrested after the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department shut down two separate raves in the Antelope Valley on Saturday, June 29. According to an LASD press release, deputies used social media to assist in preventing the first rave.
The sheriffs managed to avert the first Rave before it started
“After learning who was promoting one of the parties, the promoter was contacted and advised the party was illegal,” said Sheriff’s Sergeant Kevin Pearcy.
Despite this warning, the promoter told deputies that the rave would continue as planned, just in an area more difficult to find by authorities. Before the party could start, LASD officers found the proposed location of the rave and placed signs on the road leading to it that said “Rave Party Cancelled… by Sheriff’s Department.” The sheriffs’ tactics proved successful as partygoers and organizers stayed away.
The sheriffs’ initial victory remained short-lived. Social media ads pointed towards another Antelope Valley rave occurring later that evening. Deputies discovered the rave with 80 to 100 partygoers in an unincorporated desert area. The rave consisted of “two D.J.’s, neon lighting, generators, tents, alcohol, and narcotics.”
A "Rave" can get out of control quickly and become dangerous, according to the Sheriffs
The party was quickly disbanded, with deputies arresting three suspects in the process. Both 20-year-old Michael Calabrese of Laguna Hills and 26-year-old Courtney George of Agoura Hills were arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance. The third suspect, 27-year-old Timothy Frye of Oxnard, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance. All three were booked at the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
According to Pearcy, these illegal raves bring partygoers from across Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Ventura, and San Diego Counties.
Besides the illegal sale of drugs and alcohol, the raves present a large health hazard, according to the LASD.
“There are no restrooms or even a water supply, running or not. It would take emergency medical teams, including paramedics, an extremely long amount of time to arrive at an area such as this one. With temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, this party was an accident waiting to happen and inherently dangerous” said Lancaster Sheriff’s Station Captain Pat Nelson.
According to the LASD press release, the Sheriffs have prevented over 400 Los Angeles County raves advertised through social media since 2012. Deputies have also issued notices to neighboring police departments to warn about the raves before they begin.
Read More:
NBC Southern California: Cops Shut Down Rave Parties in Antelope Valley
Antelope Valley Times: AV desert raves shut down by authorities, several arrested
