Narcotics detectives with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department arrested 23 people at locations throughout Santa Barbara County during seven drug investigations last week.
The most significant operation occurred in Summerland on Thursday, when detectives seized more than a pound of methamphetamine and arrested three people.
After a two-month investigation, narcotics detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 100 block of Hollister Street in Summerland. One of the suspects, Samantha Briscoe, 29, was contacted inside the residence. The other suspect, Alfonso Cano, 47, fled out the back door and attempted to escape. He was arrested and provided deputies with false names. He was eventually identified and found to have a felony immigration warrant from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A third suspect, Charles Cooper, 34, who worked with Briscoe in a restaurant in the 2300 block of Lillie Avenue in Summerland, attempted to alert Briscoe and Cano to the detectives’ arrival. He was arrested at the restaurant for obstructing the investigation and for being in possession of drug paraphernalia.
More than a pound of “ice” methamphetamine packaged for sales, scales, packaging materials and other items indicative to narcotics sales was located. The street value of the methamphetamine was estimated at $46,000. About $3,000 in cash was seized from Cano pursuant to state asset forfeiture laws.
Cano was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail without bail because of his immigration status for possession of methamphetamine for sales, transportation of methamphetamine for sales, obstructing/resisting an officer and providing false identity to an officer. Briscoe was booked on $30,000 bail for possession of methamphetamine for sales, and transportation of methamphetamine for sales. Cooper was booked on $2,500 bail for obstructing/resisting an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The other investigations/arrests were as follows:
Monday, Jan. 25
Narcotics detectives concluded a joint investigation with Santa Maria Police narcotics detectives with the arrest of William Elijah, 42, for sales of cocaine and possession for sale of cocaine base. About 14 grams of rock cocaine was seized, and Elijah was booked in Santa Maria on several counts of rock cocaine sales. Two ounces of rock cocaine was seized during the investigation.
Tuesday
After a four-month investigation, narcotics detectives arrested six people suspected of dealing heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine in Santa Barbara County. Detectives conducted parole and probation searches at the dealers’ residences within Santa Barbara County.
The first suspect, Dylan Swalley, 21, was arrested in the 5500 block of Campana Court in Goleta for two felony warrants for violation of probation and drug charges. He was also under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession of drug paraphernalia.
The investigation then led detectives to the 600 block of West Mission Street in Santa Barbara. Detectives contacted a wanted “parolee at large,” Chad Major, 27, and a female suspect, Madison Wiehl, 22.
Major was in possession of heroin, methamphetamine and Oxycontin for sales. He was also under the influence of a controlled substance and in possession of stolen property. Wiehl was under the influence of a controlled substance.
Detectives contacted additional suspects who were inside a residence that Major had just left. Detectives contacted Michelle Cuellar, 36, Nhat Nguyen, 25, and Dewitt Clinton Jr., 29. Cuellar, Clinton and Nguyen were all found to be in possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Swalley and Major were booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail without bail because of their probation violations. Clinton was booked without bail because of his parole and probation violations. Wiehl was booked on $2,500 bail. Cuellar and Nguyen were booked on $10,000 bail.
Wednesday
Detectives conducted a probation search in the 900 block of West Donovan. Luis Morales, 34, Rudy Ramos, 22, and Jose Resendez, 31, were all found to be under the influence of methamphetamine. All were booked into the Santa Maria Branch of the county jail. Ramos and Resendez were also booked on parole violations.
While detectives entered the residence, Rico Santoni, 27, fled out of the backyard. Detectives notified Santa Maria Police Department officers, who found Santoni later in the day. During that encounter, Santoni tried to flee again but was apprehended. He was booked into jail for being under the influence of a controlled substances and for a parole violation. Detectives added two charges of resisting arrest.
Wednesday
Detectives served a search warrant in the 200 block of North Palisades in Santa Maria. Jake Jacobsen, 23, Ken Jacobsen, 52, Richard Alcocer, 28, and Gabriel Manriquez, 44, were all arrested for being under the influence of methamphetamine. Manriquez and Alcocer were cited and released. Jake and Ken Jacobsen were booked in Santa Maria. Jake Jacobsen was also booked on a probation hold.
Thursday
Detectives served a search warrant in the 1100 block of Glines Avenue in Orcutt. Kyle Lathery, 23, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine paraphernalia and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was booked for being under the influence of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Friday
Detectives conducted a probation search in the 4100 block of Lockford in Orcutt. One of the residents, Saam Massoudi, 26, was arrested for possession of narcotic paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute narcotics, and later was booked into the jail in Santa Maria. During the search, several people came to the residence to purchase methamphetamine and other narcotics.
Daryl Evans, 43, and Mario Cambronero, 30, were both arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
A third suspect, Charles Bennett, 25, arrived to purchase narcotics. He was also under the influence of cocaine and had left his 6-year-old daughter waiting in his car outside. He was arrested for felony child endangerment, being under the influence of a controlled substance and resisting arrest. Child Welfare Services responded for his daughter.
— Drew Sugars is a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.