Bobby Lee Sossaman – Mendocino County booking photo
Bobby Lee Sossaman has been on the Mendocino County Sheriff and Willits Police Department’s radar for years. The 30-year-old from Willits was arrested, according to available records going back to 2005, when he was 20 for driving under the influence, possession and transportation of concentrated cannabis, and carrying a concealed, loaded firearm. In March of 2006 he was caught in possession of a dangerous weapon.
Bobby Sossaman booking photo from May of this year.
From 2006 to 2008 he was arrested at least five more times for possession or being under the influence of controlled substances, along with probation violations. He had another DUI in September 2011, driving on a suspended license in September 2013, and was caught in May of 2014 for distracted driving with a cell phone, and again with a suspended license.
One year later, on May 26, 2015, he was caught with a concealed dirk or dagger, carrying a switchblade knife in a vehicle, and violating his probation. During these last two arrests, he was living in a home in rural northern Willits, in the Brooktrails area near Lake Emily and the Ells Field-Willits airport.
According to a Mendocino County Sheriff’s press release, in late September they were called to investigate a residential burglary in southwest Willits, on Pineview Drive near the Sherwood Valley Casino. Not only had the thief stolen a number of carpentry tools, but had taken a security camera as well, perhaps to try to conceal himself from detection. The missing property was logged and reported, and the case remained open.
Sossaman was found with stolen property and weapons at his current home on Holly Street.
Two weeks later, on Tuesday, October 13, deputies were conducting a probation search at Bobby Sossaman’s residence in the Brooktrails neighborhood. They did not find Sossaman, but they did locate some of the items reported stolen from the Pinewood home. As it turned out, Sossman was now living at another home, a place on Holly Street, just half a mile from the site of the burglary.
On arriving at the Holly Street home, they found Sossaman, and a probation search resulted in the recovery of the remaining stolen property, with a total value of $5,000.00. He also had with him two shotguns, ammunition, and body armor – all prohibited items for an ex-felon.
He was arrested for burglary, possession of stolen property, prohibited weapons, and probation violations. Bail was set at $50,000, and he is due in Mendocino County Superior Court on Friday, October 23.
