Six months after the California Highway Patrol arrested Michael Jay Kamfolt and booked him in the Shasta County Jail on 11 weapons-related charges, it’s unclear where the high-profile case now stands.
Kamfolt was booked into the Shasta County Jail on Jan. 20 on 11 charges including possession of an assault rifle, possession of a machine gun, possession of armor penetrating ammunition, converting a firearm into a machine gun and manufacturing of a “ghost gun.”
Following an approximate month-long investigation, members of the California Highway Patrol Northern Division Warrant Service Team executed a search warrant at the property on Jan. 20, the agency said.
During the search, officers discovered an underground bunker accessible through a 100-foot-long culvert. The bunker was equipped with power, ventilation, a concrete floor with built-in drainage and the necessary supplies to cultivate marijuana.
In addition to the bunker, officers seized 13 firearms, four soft body armor vests, 30 high-capacity magazines and approximately 10,000 rounds of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds.
Among the seized firearms were a sawed-off shotgun, three AR-15 style assault rifles, one with an obliterated serial number and two firearms reported stolen in 2016 and 1978 respectively.
In January, the CHP said an investigation was ongoing as detectives continued to follow up on additional leads.
Months later, prosecutors haven’t filed any charges.
According to Shasta District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Briona Sisneros, “we have received the case and it is under review for potential filing of charges.”
Earlier, Sisneros said: “Our office evaluates each individual case based on the facts and the law. During the review process, an attorney reviews the case and determines whether a crime has been committed, whether a charge or charges can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and whether it would be appropriate to file those charges.”
On July 17, Northern Division CHP spokesman Colton Rickard said, “There are no additional updates in the Michael Kamfolt case from CHP’s end of things. Any charges or court proceedings would be information that the County DA would have.”
Kamfolt, 40, was released after posting $50,000 bail on Jan. 21, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office said at the time.
Michele Chandler covers public safety, dining, food and whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: No charges filed months after bunker gun arrest
Reporting by Michele Chandler, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michele Chandler, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
