People v. Bennett CA1/4

I. BACKGROUND

In May 2024, Bennett, while being booked at a jail, was found to possess 3.67 grams of methamphetamine. This led to charges being filed against him. In June 2024, the Mendocino County District Attorney filed an information charging him with knowingly bringing a controlled substance

1 into jail in violation of Penal Code1 section 4573, subdivision (a), a felony. The information also alleged he had two prior strikes, one for assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(1)) in September of 2021 and another for attempted battery with serious bodily injury (§§ 664, 243, subd. (d)) in February of 2020. In August 2024, the prosecution and Bennett agreed to a negotiated disposition of his case. Pursuant to this agreement, and as approved by the court, he admitted to violating parole in case number 24CR04427 and was returned to parole for two more years. In the present case, he pleaded no contest to the felony count and admitted one of the prior strike allegations. Bennett waived time for sentencing, and the court deferred sentencing so that he could attempt to successfully complete a 90-day or longer drug education treatment program and successfully participate in drug…