Former Citizen Patrolman Arrested

A former member of the sheriff’s citizens patrol has been arrested on suspicion of beating up a neighbor and threatening another over an alleged theft of a marijuana plant from his yard.

Laurence Masters, 46, remained in the county jail Thursday in lieu of $100,000 bail.

“The suspect served with the Camarillo Citizens Patrol for a short time during the early 1990s, but that was six years ago,” said Capt. Keith Parks, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. “We are not aware of what he’s been doing since that time.”

The district attorney’s office has filed two felony chargesagainst Masters--unlawful plant processing and exhibiting a handgun in a threatening manner--and one misdemeanor charge alleging that he battered a neighbor.

According to Parks, Masters was arrested Saturday at his Camarillo home after a neighbor’s earlier reports to sheriff’s detectives that Masters had threatened him and accused him of stealing a marijuana plant. Masters reportedly had claimed to be a former Ventura County sheriff’s deputy and displayed a sheriff’s identification card.

He also allegedly pointed a gun at another neighbor regarding the missing marijuana plant, Parks said.

Detectives had gone to Masters’ home on Nov. 30 to talk with him about the incident, but he was not home, Parks said. While the detectives talked with one of Masters’ neighbors, they reportedly saw two marijuana plants in Masters’ backyard. Detectives Steve Rhods and Dennis Reed spoke with Masters at his residence the next day, Parks said. Masters denied possessing a sheriff’s identification card but admitted to growing marijuana in his backyard, officials said.

However, during a search of the house on Dec. 2, detectives confiscated a sheriff’s citizens patrol identification card and several weapons, according to Parks.

Masters was originally booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and offering marijuana to minors.