Arrested Merced candidate faces many legal challenges

A City Council candidate who was arrested Tuesday on more than a dozen allegations, including tax code violations, appeared in Merced County Superior Court on Wednesday to face separate charges.

Lakisha Jenkins, 39, appeared briefly before Judge Paul C. Lo. The hearing was continued until Oct. 18 because her attorney could not make Wednesday’s hearing.

Jenkins declined to speak with the Sun-Star outside of the courtroom, and said she would not provide a contact number for her attorney. “I have nothing to say,” she said.

The appearance was unrelated to Jenkins’ arrest Tuesday on a felony warrant issued by the Turlock Police Department involving at least 17 criminal allegations, including possession of more than one pound of marijuana for sale. Bond was set at $50,000 and she was released from custody shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Jenkins, a candidate for Merced’s council District 1, will remain on the November ballot, according to the Merced County Registrar of Voters Office. If she were to be convicted of a felony, however, she would be disqualified from office in Merced, according to the City Clerk’s Office.

Jenkins’ appearance in court was connected to misdemeanor charges of failing to care for animals and not having a business license, according to Merced County Jail records.

According to a police report, officers on April 6 were called to Jenkins’ home in northwest Merced where they found a 16-foot trailer holding 12 pigs and five goats. The trailer held 6 to 8 inches of straw soiled with animal waste, the report says.

The animals were left without water and food in the trailer that measured close to 100 degrees inside, according to the police report.

Lo said Jenkins has failed to appear at least once before for a hearing on the allegations.

District 1 opponents Anthony Martinez, a Weaver Middle School teacher, and Sonia Fernanda Alshami, who works in her family’s trucking business, wished Jenkins the best and said they’d withhold judgment until her cases conclude.

Jesse Ornelas, another candidate, said Jenkins “has many good ideas, and I think the rest of us candidates need to pay attention to what she was trying to do.”

Ornelas himself was arrested on July 7 on suspicion of misdemeanor assault and battery, according to Merced police. Capt. Matt Williams said Ornelas slapped and punched his girlfriend’s 30-year-old brother. Police say the two siblings had been arguing when Ornelas allegedly went into the man’s home and assaulted him while he was sitting on the couch.

According to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office, the case is under review and prosecutors have not decided whether to charge Ornelas with any crime.

Ornelas declined Wednesday to comment on the arrest. His campaign manager, Raul Alcala, said Ornelas was looking after the “best interests” of his girlfriend and “fully cooperated with police.”

Jenkins, CEO of Kiona Foundation, has been a long-time proponent of medical marijuana use. Her foundation specializes in treatment of cancer patients.

Jenkins’ profile on the professional networking site LinkedIn, states she was educated at San Jose State University and earned a doctorate in naturopathic medicine/naturopathy from Clayton College.

At San Jose State, Jenkins studied computer science but did not complete a degree, according to records from the college. The records for Clayton College of Natural Health were not immediately available, but the unaccredited school closed in 2010 after students sued the college for lost tuition.

Jenkins’ foundation has operated out of the Jenasis Medical Group building in the 800 block of West Main Street since at least April. David Flores, the landlord for the building, said he received a cease-and-desist letter from the Merced city attorney’s office this week.

The letter alleges the shop is selling medical cannabis, and calls for Flores to put an end to the sales no later than Oct. 15. Flores said Wednesday he is working to resolve the situation, claiming Jenkins owes him thousands of dollars in back rent.

Jenkins, he said, has written two bad checks for a total of $17,000. He said he was surprised to hear about her arrest.

“It makes me feel very uncomfortable,” he said, adding that he wondered how she had the money to post bail but not pay rent.

Asked about the landlord’s accusations of unpaid rent on Wednesday, Jenkins declined to comment.

Flores said he has not reported Jenkins to the police, because she promised to make good on the rent checks. He said he’s now having second thoughts.

“I don’t want to have trouble with the city or anybody,” he said.

This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Arrested Merced candidate faces many legal challenges."