People v. Johnson CA1/5

BACKGROUND

On July 12, 2019, Johnson was a passenger in a car that was stopped for a traffic violation. After the driver (Bagwell) was arrested for driving on a suspended license, Bagwell consented to a search of the car. In searching the car, Fairfield Police Department officer Amanda Graham discovered Johnson was in possession of identification cards and other identifying information, including an electronic benefit transfer card, that belonged to other people. This incident formed the basis for count one.

Ten days later, Johnson was sitting in the passenger seat of another parked car. On determining that the owner of the car (Dorianna Mays) was on probation with a warrantless search condition, Vacaville Police Department officer Matthew Taylor conducted a probation search. On the passenger side of the car, Taylor found a bag that contained a driver’s license belonging to A.D. and four blank checks belonging to B.H. When Taylor asked Johnson if the bag was his, Johnson replied affirmatively. Johnson was arrested and a search, incident to his arrest, revealed that he had a credit card belonging to B.H. in his pocket. These facts formed the basis for counts two through…