A Ventura man who was arrested on burglary charges over the weekend — and then released from custody — was jailed again on Tuesday, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Officers responded to a report of a burglary-in-process at a closed business on the 100 block of Nopalitos Way at about 11:40 p.m. Saturday, said Anthony Wagner, a police spokesman.
Curt Cary Carpenter, 54, was seen fleeing the property after jumping a fence, but officers continued to track him and were able to contain him within the perimeter, Wagner said.
A search of the area located Carpenter hiding inside a vehicle, and he was taken into custody without incident.
Investigation revealed that Carpenter was possibly associated with a vehicle parked in a nearby lot, Wagner said. While conducting an inventory search, officers found a loaded 9-mm handgun, a high-end scoped pellet rifle, a cattle prod style taser, and a large quantity of methamphetamine.
Carpenter, a convicted felon, was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on Sunday morning on multiple felony charges, including burglary, possession of a loaded firearm, felon in possession of a loaded firearm, and possession of drugs.
He was released a short time later, due to COVID-19 booking restrictions, according to Raquel Zick a Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.
At about 3:40 a.m. Tuesday, police officers were dispatched to a motel on the 2800 block of State Street for a report of multiple people causing a disturbance.
Investigating officers suspected a possible robbery-in-progress by a person hiding in one of the motel rooms, Wagner said.
Officers were able to gain entry into the room and ordered everyone out at gunpoint.
Carpenter, who was identified as the suspect, further attempted to conceal himself, and refused to comply with orders to surrender, Wagner said, adding that police feared he might be armed.
After attempting to shut the door on officers, Carpenter was tased and fell to the ground. He subsequently was taken into custody.
Officers discovered a loaded Glock-style handgun, a stun gun bat, a large amount of methamphetamine, heroin, several other illicit pills, and a large sum of cash in the hotel room and associated with Carpenter, Wagner said.
Carpenter was booked at the County Jail again on multiple felony charges stemming from the motel incident.
He was booked on suspicion of robbery, burglary, making criminal threats, false imprisonment, being felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm without a serial number, and resisting arrest, Wagner said.
He also faces drug-related charges including possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm and possession of drugs for sale.
Carpenter remained in custody Tuesday afternoon, with bail set at $1 million.
— Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at jmartinez-pogue@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.