Pair Arrested At Petaluma Hotel With Cocaine, Xanax: Police

PETALUMA, CA — Two Petaluma residents were arrested early Monday at a local hotel on suspicion of drug possession when Petaluma police responded to a report that one of the men was harassing his ex-girlfriend, a police sergeant said. Officers initially made contact with Daniel Avati-Lemos, 25, at about 2:30 a.m. at Hotel Petaluma at the corner of Kentucky and Washington streets, Sgt. Lance Novello said in a news release.

Police were told Avati-Lemos was harassing his ex whom he believed was staying at the hotel but could not find, Novello said.

Officers located Avati-Lemos as he was exiting a room at the hotel and soon determined he was on Post-Release Community Supervision — a county level form of parole following California’s 2011 realignment of parolees under AB 109, the sergeant said.

As police proceeded to make contact with the room's occupant, identified as Joseph Gregori, 30, they determined Gregori had an active warrant for his arrest.

Having legal authority to search the men's persons, officers allegedly found Avati-Lemos had suspected cocaine and Xanax on him, while Gregori allegedly was carrying suspected cocaine.

"A search of the room further yielded over one ounce of suspected cocaine, several individual baggies of cocaine packaged for sales, over $2,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia," Novello said.

Both men were arrested and booked into Sonoma County jail: Avati-Lemos on suspicion of possession of a suspected controlled substance and violating his PRCS; Gregori for allegedly being in possession of a suspected controlled substance for sales, possession of paraphernalia and his warrant.

Photos courtesy Petaluma Police Department