“California DOJ criminalists work in labs and at crime scenes throughout California. They process and test items of evidence that are collected and are often called to testify at trials. Their work is an important tool in public safety and criminal justice. We very much appreciate their scientific knowledge and the use of technology to assist with investigations.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
UKIAH – ON September 28, 2026, a Mendocino County jury found Michael Ray France, age 38, of Kelseyville, guilty of two counts of felony assault with a firearm relating to two separate victims, with true findings for each count that he personally used a firearm. France was also found guilty of one count of burglary in the first degree with a true finding on a special allegation alleging the motel room in question was occupied at the time of the burglary.
France was acquitted of alternative charges of attempted murder and an additional count of assault with a firearm.
Because the defense requested and had been granted a bifurcated trial on the truth of two prior convictions, as well as whether certain circumstances in aggravation as alleged by the District Attorney’s Office were true, the jury was not excused and released. Instead, the jury was held over to the next day to hear additional evidence and decide additional special allegations.
That second phase of the trial was delayed at the request of the defense due to incriminating evidence discovered on September 29th on a jail phone call made by France on September 28th after he had been returned to jail from the courtroom.
The second phase of the trial did ultimately move forward with the prosecution calling four additional witnesses and marking three additional exhibits.
After the jury announced on September 30th that it had completed its deliberations on the second phase special allegations, the jury returned with true findings across the board on the bifurcated special allegations.
Those bifurcated special allegations were that the defendant had been convicted of two specific felonies in 2015 and 2016 in the Mendocino County Superior Court and that there were five circumstances in aggravation relating to the crimes for which the defendant had been found guilty on Monday and one circumstance in aggravation relating the defendant.
After the jury was excused and had left the courtroom, the court ordered the defendant’s bail converted to no bail status.
Defendant France and his case were then referred to the Adult Probation Department for a background study and sentencing recommendation.
France is scheduled to return to court on December 17, 2026. At that time the court will consider the probation report and recommendation and pronounce judgment and sentence on the defendant.
The law enforcement agencies that were involved in the investigation of the underlying crimes that began on September 9, 2025 at Motel 6 North in Ukiah were the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the Lake County DA’s Bureau of Investigations, the California Department of Justice forensic laboratory, and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations.
