VENTURA : Pack-Rat Released Pending Investigation

Pack-Rat, the former homeless man arrested on suspicion of burglary after making headlines by finding a place to live, was released from Ventura County Jail on Monday.

Municipal Judge Vincent J. O’Neill Jr. told Ray Mahala, the self-proclaimed “Chief of the Ventura River Bottom,” that he was free to go for the time being because prosecutors have not finished investigating the case against him.

Mahala, 55, may be called back to court if prosecutors decide there is enough evidence to charge him with stealing 67 compact discs and a small amount of cash from a Ventura business.

Police began searching for a suspect in August, when an Ojai music store owner complained that an unidentified man had sold him 61 CDs.

After a picture of Mahala appeared in a newspaper three weeks ago, the businessman told Ventura police that Mahala was the man who sold him the CDs.

Mahala was arrested on Thursday, when he went to the Ventura Police Station to find out why officers had been trying to locate him.

In court Monday, Deputy Dist. Atty. Lisa Frawley told the judge that her office is still investigating Mahala but has not decided whether the case merits criminal charges.

Mahala has maintained his innocence.