PRESS RELEASE- Transportation of Narcotics/Identity Theft

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Date: October 14, 2023

On 10/11/2023, at approximately 1718 hours, Paradise Police Officers were working patrol in the area of Clark Road and Pearson Road. Officers observed a vehicle displaying expired registration and an inoperable brake light fail to stop at a red light. Officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop on the vehicle as it turned into the Hootch Hut parking lot, 637 Pearson Road.

Initially the driver provided a false identity to the officers. During the course of the investigation, officers learned the driver’s true identity was Paradise resident Adrian Bryce Gowins (03/24/1979). The identity Gowins used was that of a Chico resident whom Gowins had knowledge of. Gowins was determined to have a felony warrant for his arrest through Butte County and was taken into custody for the warrant.

Police service dog Titan was directed to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle. K9 Titan is trained and certified to detect the odor of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. K9 Titan alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle. Based on the positive alert from K9 Titan, officers searched Gowins’ vehicle. Officers located over an ounce of cocaine and heroin, as well as several pipes for ingesting narcotics. Most of the narcotics were located within a hidden magnetized container inside the engine compartment. Officers also located a modified hidden compartment within the vehicle with evidence of recent narcotics transportation.

The amount of narcotics located in the vehicle was well beyond amounts consistent with personal use. The manner in which the narcotics were being transported in the vehicle was consistent with transportation of narcotics for sales. The modification of the vehicle to create a hidden compartment for use in transporting narcotics was also consistent with transportation of narcotics for sales.

In addition to the warrant, Gowins was booked into Butte County Jail on the following felonies:

• 11352(a) H&S Transportation of Cocaine

• 11379(a) H&S Transportation of Methamphetamine

• 11366.8(a) H&S False Compartment to Transport Narcotics

• 529(a) PC Identity Theft / False ID to Officer

LOCATION: 637 Pearson Road Paradise, CA 95969

SUSPECT(S): GOWINS, Adrian Bryce

INVESTIGATING OFFICER: Sgt R. Pickering

APPROVING SUPERVISOR: Sgt R. Pickering