SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was convicted yesterday of planting weapons and methamphetamine inside the bed of a woman's truck and making false reports to law enforcement.

Co-defendant Jennifer Michele Beale, 38, Laguna Hills, pleaded guilty to the same felony and misdemeanor charges on Aug. 3, 2016, and was sentenced to one year and four months in county jail.

Circumstances of the Case

• On March 23, 2016, Beale and Brown conspired to plant a replica Sig Sauer BB gun, a 12-inch hunting knife, methamphetamine, a scale, small plastic bags, a note with names and dollar amounts, and a glass pipe in 40-year-old Jane Doe's vehicle in order to get the victim arrested.
• The defendants placed the meth and drug paraphernalia in a sunglasses case, and transported it along with the replica Sig Sauer BB gun, knife, and towel to Jane Doe's home in Laguna Niguel.
• Beale and Brown placed the items in the bed of Jane Doe's truck, returned to their vehicle, and left the scene.
• At approximately 5:50 a.m. on March 24, 2016, Beale emailed Orange County Crime Stoppers and falsely reported that she saw Jane Doe arguing with someone and waving a gun around before placing the gun in the bed of her truck.
• At approximately 11:30 a.m. on March 24, 2016, Beale called 911 and falsely reported that she saw Jane Doe waving a gun during an argument earlier in the morning before throwing the gun into the back of a truck.
• Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) deputies responded to the victim's home, found the items planted by Beale and Brown in the bed of her truck, and detained Jane Doe.
• The victim recognized that the sunglasses case belonged to Beale. OCSD investigated this case further and released Jane Doe at the scene.
• OCSD arrested Beale and Brown on April 14, 2016.

Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Nichols, Special Prosecutions Unit

Orange County District Attorney / Case # 16HF0524 / August 31, 2017