Wanted Tuolumne County felon captured. Mom arrested, too.

The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a wanted felon and his mother for harboring him.

The sheriff’s office reported that 24-year-old Richard Meza, aka “Zombie,” is a repeat parole violator who was considered armed and dangerous before his capture.

Deputies received an anonymous tip regarding Meza’s whereabouts Friday morning.

He and his mother, 55-year-old Julieta Beasley, were located inside an apartment on Marquis Drive in Twain Harte. They both were arrested and booked into the Tuolumne County Jail.

Beasley was charged with accessory for knowingly harboring Meza, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Meza ran from a traffic stop on Wednesday. He had been released from jail on his own recognizance by the court and assigned to the supervision of the Tuolumne County Probation Department. However, he removed an electronic tracking device and was wanted for violating his probation.

Meza had been in custody on charges that resulted from a May 8 probation search of his downtown Sonora home, said Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sgt. Andrea Benson.

The search that day turned up nearly an ounce of heroin, two packages containing a total of 0.45 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

He faces additional charges from his arrest Friday for possession of Suboxone strips for sale, which deputies found when they searched him.

This story was originally published June 10, 2017 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Wanted Tuolumne County felon captured. Mom arrested, too.."