BREAKING: Mt. Shasta Fire Captain Jasen Patrick Vela Arrested on Embezzlement Charges at Fire Hall

DA Investigators Execute Arrest at Department Headquarters; Booking #2504262

MT. SHASTA — Just three months after his controversial appointment as a captain, Jasen Patrick Vela was arrested Tuesday morning inside the Mt. Shasta Fire Department hall by District Attorney investigators on felony embezzlement charges, according to jail records and DA confirmation.

Vela, 45, was booked into Siskiyou County Jail at 10:38 AM on March 3, 2026, under booking number 2504262, facing two felony counts: Embezzlement by Employee over $400 (508 PC) and Appropriation of Public Money (424(A)(1) PC). Bail has been set at $50,000. He remains in custody as of publication.

District Attorney investigators executed the arrest at the fire hall itself Tuesday morning, taking Vela directly into custody at his workplace.

“Yes, he was arrested this morning at the Mount Shasta fire hall by DA investigators,” the District Attorney confirmed via text message. “He was taken to the county jail for booking.”

According to jail records, Vela faces:

• Count 1: Embezzlement by employee over $400 (Felony, 508 PC) — bail $0.00
• Count 2: Appropriation of public money (Felony, 424(A)(1) PC) — bail $50,000

Both charges are felonies under California Penal Code, carrying potential state prison sentences if convicted. The distinction between the two counts suggests prosecutors may be alleging separate schemes or different methods of diverting public funds.

Vela’s December 2025 hiring by Mt. Shasta came under immediate criticism from public safety advocates who questioned why the city would appoint with an active DA investigation pending from his previous tenure. Vela had been placed on administrative leave from Montague Fire Department for more than a year beginning in late 2024 amid undisclosed allegations that prompted the DA investigation and a raid on his home.

The Montague City Council deadlocked repeatedly on his status before finally accepting his resignation in early 2025.

Mt. Shasta city officials never publicly disclosed whether they conducted adequate background checks or were aware of the scope of the Montague investigation when they hired Vela.

Vela’s arrest marks a complex turning point in a saga that exposed dangerous governance failures in rural fire departments. In Montague, Vela’s removal was orchestrated by Mayor Takeshi Murakami, who simultaneously served as Assistant Fire Chief and President of the Fireman’s Association—creating a labyrinth of conflicts of interest that paralyzed the department.

While Murakami’s methods drew criticism for violating departmental bylaws and creating what volunteers called a “hostile work environment,” Tuesday’s arrest suggests his allegations regarding Vela’s financial conduct may have been substantively accurate. The arrest comes nearly a year after DA investigators first raided Vela’s home and the Montague fire station, seizing computers and electronic devices.

Mt. Shasta City Hall has not issued a statement regarding the arrest or Vela’s employment status. Vela is expected to be arraigned within 48 hours, at which time formal charges will be read and a plea entered. The DA’s office has not indicated whether the charges relate to Vela’s time in Montague, Mt. Shasta, or both, nor whether additional arrests are anticipated.

This is a developing story. Check Siskiyou.News for updates as court documents become available.

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