BHO Lab Reportedly Discovered During Arson Registrant Compliance Check in Shasta County: Two Arrested
The Shasta County Arson Task Force recently conducted an enforcement operation in the county, resulting in two arrests and the discovery of a BHO lab.
On Monday, May 20th, the Shasta Arson Task Force conducted an Arson Registrant Compliance Operation across Shasta County. They targeted offenders required to register as arson registrants due to prior arson-related convictions.
The operation included registration checks, probation and parole searches for individuals on supervised release for arson offenses, and individuals with active arson-related warrants, the agency said in a press release.
The task force performed 25 compliance checks and found 22 individuals in compliance with their registration or probation or parole requirements. They identified two registrants who failed to register their new addresses and will file cases against them.
During the operation, officers contacted Caleb Eckert, 32, at a property on Leopard Drive in Anderson. Eckert, reportedly on parole for arson-related crimes, is accused of violating his registration requirements. A search of his property allegedly led to the discovery of a fully functional .22 rifle and narcotics paraphernalia.
Officers arrested Eckert on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, violating parole, violating arson registrant requirements, and possessing drug paraphernalia.
The task force also arrested John Lloyd, 38, on Our Road in Lakehead. Lloyd had an outstanding felony warrant related to a butane honey oil lab explosion in 2021 that caused injury. During the arrest, officers found a functioning “closed loop” style BHO lab in a shed, which posed a safety hazard.
The Shasta County Interagency Narcotics Task Force deemed the BHO lab safe and dismantled it for evidence collection. Authorities discovered approximately 20 pounds of concentrated cannabis and 80 pounds of processed marijuana on the property.
Lloyd reportedly faces charges for manufacturing a controlled substance, conspiracy, and possession of marijuana for sales.
Officers also found another individual involved with the BHO lab at the property.
After the operation, a task force member observed a box truck driver throwing a lit cigarette out of the window while driving southbound on I-5 near Wonderland Boulevard. The driver, a New York resident, received a citation for discarding a cigarette from a vehicle onto a highway, along with other vehicle code violations.
The Shasta Arson Task Force comprises members from multiple agencies, including the Anderson Police Department, Anderson Fire Department, Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, CAL FIRE Shasta-Trinity Unit, Redding Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management, Shasta Lake City Fire Department, and the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office.
