3 arrested after Santa Rosa identity theft investigation uncovers drugs, guns, child endangerment
A months-long investigation into a man suspected of mail theft and credit-card fraud led to three arrests Tuesday on a variety of charges including drug and weapon possession and child endangerment.
According to a Santa Rosa Police Department news release, the Property Crimes Investigation (PCI) Team in September initiated an investigation into the actions of 34-year-old Windsor resident Michael Stromberg, who was suspected of extensive fraud and identity theft crimes. During the lengthy investigation, Stromberg was linked to 35 felony violations while on parole.
On Tuesday, detectives from PCI and the Narcotics Team along with K9 teams located Stromberg driving a vehicle on northbound US Highway 101 at the Mendocino Ave off-ramp. Detectives conducted a traffic stop pursuant to a search warrant and detained Stromberg without incident.
Detectives also responded to a Windsor residence on the 7800 block of Country Meadow Way to execute a search warrant. Detectives arrived to find a woman inside the home who refused to open the door. Detectives warned her repeatedly that the door would be forced open, the occupants still refused to comply. Detectives forced entry and detained the female occupant -- later identified as 38-year-old Windsor resident Tamy Alexander. She was at the home with her two minor children.
Detectives started to search the residence and discovered a third individual -- a male subject -- had barricaded himself inside the garage. After several attempts to get the subject to come out, he eventually exited the garage and was detained without incident. The subject was identified as 43-year-old Windsor resident Seth Bulcke.
After clearing the residence, police K9 "Ghost" was deployed inside the garage in an attempt to locate firearms. K9 "Ghost" alerted officers of multiple locations in the garage with firearms. Detectives uncovered extensive evidence of firearm manufacturing and illegal firearm parts including silencers, AR-15 kits, and other items in the garage where Bulcke resided. Three other handguns were found, including "a .22 caliber pistol that looked like a flare gun, a privately manufactured 9mm semiautomatic handgun, and a shotgun." Detectives also found methamphetamine, heroin, and drug paraphernalia in the garage.
The investigation also led detectives to a storage unit in Windsor rented by Bulcke that authorities believed contained additional firearms. A second search warrant for the storage unit was obtained and detectives found 16 more firearms, including assault weapons.
During an extensive search of the home, detectives also located a variety of drug paraphernalia -- including glass pipes, hypodermic syringes, and burned aluminum foil with narcotic residue -- strewn about the residence. Suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, and more drug paraphernalia items were found by detectives in the master bathroom and bedroom. There were also two semiautomatic handguns were located in a drawer in the master bedroom.
Police said the children living in the home were endangered by possible accidental exposure to the drug residue on the paraphernalia that could have led to serious injury or death.
Stromberg was booked into the Sonoma County Jail for 37 felonies including identity theft, elder abuse, forgery, and possession of stolen property.
Alexander was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on six charges including resisting, delaying, or obstructing a peace officer's lawful duty, felony child endangerment, possession of a controlled substance while armed, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia
Bulcke was booked on ten charges including possession of a controlled substance while armed, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of a silencer, possession of metal knuckles and six counts of possession of an assault weapon.
