Alleged Montgomery Creek drug dealer arrested twice this week

March 3, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

REDDING — Citing jail overcrowding and lack of proper funding, officials say an alleged Montgomery Creek drug dealer was arrested for the second time in one week after spending barely half a day in jail following his earlier arrest.

Despite being caught with heroin, marijuana, scales, prescription drugs, $1,200 cash and a loaded 9 mm handgun on Feb. 27, and caught once again with 39 grams of methamphetamine, 18 grams of heroin, packaging indicitive of drug sales and drug smoking paraphernalia early this morning, Tuesday, March 3, officials say it is unlikely they will be able to hold him due to lack of bed space at Shasta County’s sole jail facility in Redding.

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James Fred Jackson, 60, of Montgomery Creek, was arrested shortly after 2 a.m. this morning, after a Redding Police Officer spotted him and another man loitering near In-N-Out Burger on Churn Creek Rd at S. Bonnyview Rd, Redding Police Sgt. Gary Meadows reported today.

After contacting the two subjects, the officer noticed drug paraphernalia sitting in plain view in a nearby vehicle and detained the pair.

James Jackson, of Montgomery Creek was arrested again early this morning after officials say he was caught selling drugs outside a Redding fast food restaurant. RPD photo

A subsequent search revealed a plastic box containing more than 39 grams of methamphetamine, 18 grams of heroin, packaging indicitive of drug sales and drug smoking paraphernalia.

Officers determined the drugs and other items belonged to Jackson and arrested him. He was later booked into jail on suspicion of possession of drugs for sale and for possession of drug paraphernalia.

The second subject was released with no charges.

According to Meadows, Jackson had only been out of jail for four days after a Feb. 27 traffic stop that led to his arrest for possession of heroin, possession of heroin for sale, felon in possession of a handgun, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and driving on a suspended license.

After that arrest, Jackson posted bail and was released after spending just 14 hours in custody, said Meadows.

Jackson was arrested Feb. 27 after being caught with drugs and a gun (first image) and again this morning after being caught with drugs once again (second image). RPD photos

“The Shasta County Jail staff is constantly battling overcrowding issues, leaving them at or near full capacity nearly every day,” Meadows explained today, after the felon’s second arrest in just days. “This causes a significant strain on both the Redding Police Department and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office.”

“As with last week’s arrest of Jackson, a report from tonight’s arrest will be sent to the Shasta County District Attorney for review of the above listed charges,” said Meadows.

Anyone with information about Jackson’s alleged criminal activity is encouraged to contact Redding PD at (530) 225-4200 or Shasta County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (530) 245-6500. Callers can refer to incident file number 20R015340 and can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.