Girl Turns In Mother, Sister, 2 Men for Drugs

A 13-year-old girl, apparently inspired by a Tustin girl who reported her parents for possessing drugs, has turned in her mother, her sister and two men who live in her household.

Officers say they found methamphetamines, marijuana and equipment for cooking methamphetamines in the house, along with three truckloads of stolen property.

The girl, Jennifer Banks, was lodged in a foster home where Sutter County Community Services Officer John Summers reported Tuesday that she was feeling guilty and depressed but also that “she just wants to get her mom off the stuff.”

Summers said in an interview with reporter Anne Fisher of the Marysville Appeal-Democrat that he has known Jennifer for about a year after counseling her on another family situation.

Jennifer telephoned Summers on Friday and indicated she wanted to turn in her parents. Summers said he advised Jennifer that her mother was certain to find out who turned her in. “She said, ‘The only guarantee I want is that I don’t have to go home tonight because they’re going to be really angry.’ ”

Law enforcement officials acted rapidly Friday, searching the house on South Township Road in western Yuba City.

They arrested the mother, Sandra Lee Banks, 32; her companion, Mitchell T. Gregg, 29, and another man living there, Richard G. Daniel, 26, all of whom were booked for investigation of possession of methamphetamine and marijuana for sale, and the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Jennifer’s 17-year-old sister was booked into Juvenile Hall for investigation of methamphetamine possession for sale and possession of a hypodermic syringe.

A judge is to determine after a juvenile hearing later this week whether Jennifer will continue living outside her mother’s home.

Court records show that Gregg was already on probation, having been arrested once in 1984 and twice in 1985 on charges of drug and paraphernalia possession, being under the influence of drugs, and the possession of burglary tools.

Records show that Sandra Lee Banks was convicted last February of writing $2,100 worth of bad checks, and in 1981 of writing $54 worth of checks.

Officers said that some of the stolen property was quickly identified as having been taken in recent Sutter and Yuba county burglaries but that much of it may have been stolen in other counties.

Summers said the widely publicized case of 13-year-old Deanna Young of Tustin, who turned in her parents for using drugs, probably encouraged Jennifer to confide in him.