Beloved missing North Bay goats returned home safe
Sep 30, 2024
(KRON) -- A trio of goats that were reported stolen in Santa Rosa earlier this month have been reunited with their owner, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office announced Monday. The goats -- Nacho, Chili, and Atlas -- were seen on security camera being led away from the ranch they call home by a woman using hay to lure them.
The rancher who raised and owned the goats, Shawn "Disco" Ganapoler, told KRON4.com that the goats were like his "babies." At one point during the goat's absence, even celebrity chef Guy Fieri was helping to spread the word.
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Then on Friday, police got a break.
According to police, on Friday, a vigilant community member called law enforcement because he believed his family had two of the goats. Sonoma Sheriff property crimes detectives went to the family's home and confirmed the goats were Nacho and Atlas.
Investigators learned that the family had bought the goats from Agustin Alcazar-Varelas, 48, of Santa Rosa. Detectives found Alcazar-Varelas at his home in the 3000 block of Moorland Avenue and conducted a probation search.
Working with the Santa Rosa Police Department, detectives located the third goat, Chili, and safely returned it home.
Alcazar-Varelas was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County jail on charges that include:
Felony grand theft of animals
Misdemeanor drug possession
Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia
Violation of probation
He was latest released on a citation for charges associated with the case and on $20,000 bail for probation violation, police said.
Detectives are still following up on leads for the female suspect seen luring the goats on surveillance video.