John Nicholas Delevati, 29, a known dangerous criminal, was captured yesterday after nearly escaping police for the second time in two months.
Delevati has a criminal record too long to list, with over twenty arrests in the past seven years, according to records. He has been charged with robbery, vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving, resisting arrest, contempt of court, drug charges and parole violations. His most notable incident happened in 2011 when he was arrested for robbery, carjacking, and false imprisonment with violence. According to a story published in the Redding Record-Searchlight, he and a woman named Ashley Gordon stole a car in southeast Redding. The young woman in the car, a 19-year-old, said she had been dragged from her Honda Element, beaten, held to the ground and had her keys taken. She said she had tried to stop the pair from stealing her car.
While on parole for that crime, Delevati was detained a few times for driving with a suspended license, failure to appear in court, and parole violations. That included an arrest in March of this year for a DUI on a suspended licence and again, failure to appear in court.
On June 3, Redding police announced that an officer had spotted a stolen vehicle, a black 2000 Ford Expedition on Canyon Road near South Market Street. As he attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver drove into the nearby Win River Casino area along Redding Rancheria road, and ditched the truck at the end. The driver, who was identified as Delevati, ran away into the area around Clear Creek. He could not be found despite an intensive search, which included the police K9s and a CHP helicopter. They announced he was wanted at the time for felony spousal abuse, another carjacking, and criminal threats.
Delevati was seen at this house and ran to hide a few doors down.
Yesterday, Monday July 14 at 10:17 am, officers sought out Delevati at a home in west Redding, on Sacramento Street about a mile and a half from where he had almost been captured. They approached the home and spotted Delevati,distinctive for his size – 5’11” and 220 pounds – with numerous tattoos, including a swastika on top of his shaved head. He saw the officers approach, and took off running. A perimeter was established and the home, along with the surrounding neighborhood, was searched. A CHP helicopter was again called in to assist. He was found hiding in a house just a few doors down, at the corner of Sacramento and Eastside Road.
He was booked once again at the familiar surroundings of the Shasta County Jail on his outstanding warrants. His long list of victims will no doubt be relieved and hope he serves a much longer term behind bars before he is on the streets again.
Read More:
Record Searchlight/2011: Two arrested in carjacking
