11 Arrested in Santa Barbara Raids on Firearms, Drug-Trafficking Operations

» Once again... on 09.19.09 @ 07:51 PM

The Feds have to come in to do Sanchez’ work. I wonder how much of this type of stuff is going on undetected?

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» Of course on 09.19.09 @ 07:55 PM

Sanchez will act like this was all HIS idea.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» The Pragmatist on 09.19.09 @ 08:06 PM

“marijuana is a drug that makes people high and there will always be criminal conduct associated with it no matter how much you try to make it appear legitimate”

So, let’s see… alcohol is a drug, it is legal, and there’s no crime associated with it? Government statistics show there is MORE crime associated with alcohol than all other illicit drugs combined…

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» illegal gunners give legal ones bad name on 09.19.09 @ 10:17 PM

For once a newspaper accurate reports the ‘fully-auto’ [AK47s] and *also mentions the other semi-auto “assault weapons” (maybe semi-auto AK-variants?).  As a legal firearm owner/builder and NRA lifetime member, it’s these punks that give legal-owners/sportsmen a BAD name.  Even fully-auto rifles (read: ‘machine guns’) have a purpose and a place for the collector, but not a ‘pot and payment collector’.  I am happy that these firearms are out of these criminals’ hands.  It’s a shame that they will be filed away in a box, destroyed, or sold-back to the ‘bangers by some crooked SB/SoCal cops :(  Hopefully before they are, some crimes can be traced back using these firearms.  Let the cases be finally closed and throw more sentencing on these baddies; seems like some of these were already repeat-offenders.  Score one for the good guys!

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» twice again on 09.20.09 @ 08:15 AM

Mr. Once again;

The reason the USDOJ was involved is so they could lend a hand both financially and with manpower on the operation. It goes on in every municipality in the country. They didn’t “have to come to do Sanchez’ work.”

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» Just Me on 09.20.09 @ 08:47 AM

How is it that Noozhawk can print the names of those arrested, but the News Press and Daily Sound doesn’t?

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» good job. Glad to see SB is reaching out to other on 09.20.09 @ 11:18 AM

With several paroles on the list of the arrested you can be sure that the Mexican Mafia is probably part of this. When you go to prison as a Hispanic you have no choice in the matter it is a part of survival. It is divided into north and south.

As for the guns people are probably not aware the damage that these type of weapons can and will do. About the only thing stopping a AK round is a solid sheet of steel that is probably at least a half inch.

The reason for all the inter-agency help is that most good police work is done in conjunction with many agencies any more. Especially on these levels. Sounds like Santa Barbara is finally doing the right thing in reaching out to the federal levels to get the specialized help they bring and the extra man power.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» Flora Vista House on 09.20.09 @ 02:05 PM

I live in the neighborhood and this house which is right on a corner and across from Monroe School, looks like danger all the time. Code violations galore. I have wondered for years when the city is going to do something about it.  More than an eyesore it is a liability. So they arrested a couple residents but seems like business as usual there.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» J Laraway on 09.20.09 @ 04:06 PM

The house on Samarkand is just up the street from my house, and my kids walk by it on the way to school.  Thanks to all law enforcement involved for making our neighborhoods safer.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» Stoney is stoned on 09.20.09 @ 04:51 PM

First of all you misquoted. Nobody said the town is controlled by cartels, the comment reads: “Wake up Sanchez, before the town is controlled by Mexican drug cartels.”

“Also note that some are just charged with high volume drug dealing rather than guns.” Yeah I did note that. The Anglos. No weapons involved. Except Virginia Highfield, probably one of the gun trafficker’s girlfriends.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» anoyed with people on 09.20.09 @ 08:37 PM

wow no one read the charges did they - the person who was charged for child endangerment with the pot did not have any firearm’s and they were only raided because they are friends from school with Thomas Edward Dominguez and happened to live down the street from him.  There was no child endangerment on his or her part (my stepbrother and his wife) and it is a crapy charge when they were not dealing drugs…. they just got caught up in the flow of things from a bad choice of friends.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» A.H. detector on 09.21.09 @ 08:16 AM

» Bill Clausen wrote on 09.20.09 @ 03:17 PM

Why is it “Dr” Carlos Melendez?  Wouldn’t one’s name suffice in this matter?

Mr. Clausen,

Seriously, why be a turd??

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» michvinmar on 09.21.09 @ 09:20 AM

Bill, good coverage. However, I’d like to see abundant use of maps in your stories—particularly one like this that includes locales.  Thanks!

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» buckwheat on 09.21.09 @ 01:16 PM

Get it right, you got it right!

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» re: Immigration and customs enforcement, huh? on 09.21.09 @ 03:50 PM

None of these guys were illegal. What about Timothy McVeigh? Oh, yeah, he was American… but an American would never do that either right? Obviously you are racist assuming that these were all illegal immigrants from Ireland. Oh wait, you were probably thinking of the brown guys from down south right?

You don't have permission to flag this entry.

» Alice Maynez on 09.24.09 @ 01:39 PM

Do you know that with all the charges against these people, the jail personnel are calling family members to ask if they will give their relative a place to stay until the trial? They are going to let them out in their own recognizant. Get out of Jail FREE No Bail needed!!!!

You mean to tell me that all they criminals will be right back on the streets of Santa Barbara picking up business where they left off?

What a waste of tax payers money. Why even bother? All this is a joke!!!!!!

Yes, one of them is my son. But I doubt that he is as involved as they say, He is homeless and he sleeps wherever he can find a space to rest his disabled bones. I know he was on drugs a while back but I thought that was over with.

Well people of Santa Barbara, they are going to get out of jail. How do you like that?
Not only are ALL of us are third and fourth generation Santa Barbarans.  We have NEVER lived anywhere else! We are natives of Santa Barbara and if you look back into our ancestry, the oldest ones were born in Los Angeles when it was still Mexico.

And as for the cooper street address.  NOTHING was found there. However, when the cops broke in the doors, and mean every single door in the house, they told the girls ages 10 and 12 to put their hands up in the air. These huge looking Monsters in black hood and costume with the biggest guns in the world, ordered them downstairs with the guns in their backs. When they got them outside, they ordered the little girls to sit down on the ground and stay there.
Talk about terrifed!!!!!!

And the little boy age 4 was screaming and crying all the time for his Mommy or Grandma which were on the ground handcuffed.
Then this Mob of cops threw everything they could find oll over the floors. No drawer or closed was left with anything in it. The kitchen, the bedrooms, the living room the bathrooms, EVERYWHERE!!! Distruction everywhere.
When it was all over, these cops put my great grandchildren in a line up, including the 4 year old, and took MUG shots of them with a bunch of numbers under their chin. And all my grand-daughter did was give her Dad a place to sleep. Too days before, he had left her home and went somewhere else.

You don't have permission to flag this entry.