On August 17, 2026, at approximately 11:45 a.m., officers with the Alturas Police Department arrested Michael Ehmen, 29, for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements and for obstructing or delaying law enforcement officers.
Ehmen is a transient from Lansing, Michigan. During the investigation, officers learned that he was required to register as a sex offender and had last registered in Michigan in May 2026. After traveling to California, Ehmen had not registered with local law enforcement as required.
Earlier that morning, officers contacted Ehmen after his dogs reportedly attacked a deer. He was advised to keep the dogs restrained and on leashes. California Fish and Wildlife was contacted to follow up on the deer attack. Information obtained during that contact allowed officers to identify Ehmen in law enforcement databases and determine that he was out of compliance with his sex offender registration requirements.
Officers later located Ehmen in the area of West 12th Street and attempted to recontact him. Ehmen walked away through a nearby field and ignored multiple commands to stop. When officers attempted to take him into custody, he continued to actively resist and refused to follow commands.
Ehmen was ultimately taken into custody and transported to the Modoc County Jail. He was booked for violations of Penal Code sections 290.018(a), 290.013(a), and 148(a)(1).
Sex offender registration requirements are in place for a reason. When a registrant comes into our community, law enforcement and the public need to know who they are and where they are staying. Individuals who come to Alturas and fail to comply with their registration requirements will be located and held accountable. This will not be tolerated in the City of Alturas.
Alturas Police Arrest Sex Offender for Registration Violations and Resisting Arrest
