Petaluma man suspected of breaking into vending machine

A Petaluma man was arrested early Thursday morning after a police officer allegedly spotted him drilling a lock out of a shopping center vending machine.

Michael Tony Sampson, 31, fled on foot but was caught nearby with drug paraphernalia and several credit cards belonging to other people, police said.

He also was in possession of a stainless steel BB gun that resembled an actual handgun, according to police.

Sampson is a member of a well-known family that has had runs-ins with local politicians and law enforcement for decades.

The late patriarch Howard - whose motto was “God, guns and guts” - twice campaigned for sheriff and started the fundamentalist Fields of the Wood Church on the family’s 4-acre compound in Petaluma.

An officer was patrolling the Petaluma Factory Outlets on 2:30 a.m. Thursday because of recent burglaries and vandalism to vending machines when Sampson was spotted attempting to break into a machine, according to police.

Sampson discarded an item as he fled. It was later determined to be a Makita cordless drill and located with the help of a police dog, according to Officer Chris Ricci. The serial number on the drill had been ground off.

Another man, Jesse Shennan, 39, of Petaluma, who was caught nearby, was arrested on suspicion of prowling.

Both men were booked into Sonoma County Jail. Sampson is scheduled for court arraignment this morning.

Staff Writer Clark Mason can be reached at 707-521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com.