A Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputy evacuating homes in Gorman during the recent Ridge Fire ended up starting an investigation into allegations of drugs, weapons and burglary.
The station’s deputy for the Gorman area was warning residents about the threat from the nearby Ridge Fire around 3:45 p.m. Aug. 7, when he noticed something unusual in the 30800 block of Gorman Post Road.
The previous owner of the home, identified in court records as Rose Mary Brian, had died several months prior, according to the deputy’s report; but there was a Honda generator, as well as golf clubs, tools and vehicle accessories littering the yard.
The station deputy called into the home from outside and encountered 45-year-old Andre Michele Tabnak, who was later identified as a felon with a prior burglary conviction, according to a search warrant later sought for the residence.
Tabnak told the deputy he had the owner’s permission to be on the property, which gave the deputy cause for suspicion, as did the pry marks at the entrance and the appearance of a door that had been kicked in, according to a detective’s incident summary.
While Tabnak was detained for a burglary investigation, deputies reported finding a woman and two teenage children in the home, as well as weapons that were illegal for Tabnak to possess as a convicted felon, an illegal magazine and a large quantity of a narcotic believed to be methamphetamine, based on the search warrant return.
“Inside the master bedroom, deputies saw in plain view a large bag containing an off-white
crystalline substance resembling methamphetamine inside a clear plastic. Deputy (Jeff) Brito estimated the quantity of apparent methamphetamine was one-half to one pound. Deputy Brito also observed in plain view numerous small unused plastic bags, a digital scale and two small quantities of an off-white crystalline substance resembling methamphetamine, commonly referred to as an ‘eight ball,’ inside a small container. Deputies also observed in plain view a rolled-up bundle of U.S. currency,” according to the search warrant request. “It should be noted that while Tabnak was detained in the back seat of Deputy Brito’s patrol vehicle, Tabnak escaped custody and ran from the property.”
He was not taken back into custody until approximately one month later, based on Sheriff’s Department custody records.
Deputies used the evidence reported in plain sight to obtain a search warrant, which was approved, per court records.
They reported finding ammunition, two 1,000-round magazines, narcotics, a Los Angeles Police Department badge, a College of the Canyons school ID, narcotics paraphernalia and a rifle.
Deputies finished their authorized search on a Saturday, and the following Tuesday, Aug. 11, deputies obtained an arrest warrant for Tabnak.
SCV Sheriff’s Station deputies ultimately served the arrest warrant Sept. 3, when Tabnak was taken into custody and held in lieu of $325,000 bail.
Both Tabnak and Amber Urdank, a 87-year-old woman who was also in the home, were charged with second-degree burglary and receiving a large-capacity magazine, based on the criminal complaint filed Aug. 11 by the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.
Tabnak was additionally charged with weapons violations due to his criminal record.
He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
LASD custody records indicate he’s being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic while he awaits his next hearing date, which was not immediately available Wednesday afternoon.
The Ridge Fire burned a total of 1,134 acres before it was declared 100% contained on Aug. 12.
