Authorities search home of former DA

The residence of former Del Norte County District Attorney Mike Riese was searched by authorities Wednesday in connection with a criminal citation issued to him in Brookings on Dec. 12

The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office Felony Investigations Unit and a Brookings Police Department detective searched the house around 4:30 p.m., looking for a medical prescription pad, but none was found, said sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Morris.

“We were looking for any evidence of a prescription that had been obtained fraudulently,” said Morris. “We didn’t find anything.”

The search is related to a Dec. 12 incident in which Riese was issued a criminal citation for suspicion of forgery involving a prescription drug in Brookings after employees from Chetco Pharmacy called Brookings Police about documentation for a prescription.

“I haven’t seen their affidavit, so I can’t comment at this point,” said Riese on Friday. “My attorney is going to investigate this.”

The search warrant was signed by a Humboldt County judge and the affidavit wasn’t available on Friday, said an employee at the Humboldt County Courthouse.

Riese is set to be arraigned for the complaint in Curry County on Jan. 23.

Riese has another court matter in Del Norte County pertaining to charges of driving under the influence of drugs, two counts of child endangerment and a single count of public intoxication filed by the state Attorney General’s Office.

The charges stem from an Aug. 22 incident at Safeway after employees called for a welfare check of Riese, who they said was behaving strangely, police reports state.

He was questioned outside of the store by Crescent City Police officers and let go after his girlfriend arrived to take him to seek medical treatment, police reports state.

Riese told officers he was taking medication after undergoing knee surgery and had not slept for several days, reports state.

He also told officers he had walked to the store, but his truck was in the parking lot, the reports state.

Charges were filed two months after the incident.

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