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4 arrested in one of largest drug seizures COURTESY PHOTOSanta Barbara police seized handguns and narcotics with a street value of $100,000.
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Police Department arrested four people after finding guns and drugs in what police are calling one of the largest drug seizures, if not the largest, in the department’s history.
Within the last month, the department’s Narcotics Unit conducted an investigation involving suspected drug trafficking. Based upon the investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspects.
Around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, detectives, officers and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Air Unit served a search warrant near the 3700 block of State Street in Santa Barbara.
Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the Santa Barbara police’s public information officer, said Narcotics Detectives identified two vehicles as being involved in this criminal activity. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on both involved vehicles and detained several suspects.
When officers conducted a traffic stop on one of the vehicles, they contacted the driver, Viviana Martinez-Perez and passenger, Rachel Delgado-Garcia. Officers immediately noticed a semi-automatic pistol in plain view and easily accessible to Martinez-Perez.
The occupants were removed from the vehicle and arrested based on probable cause. Inside this vehicle, detectives located 53 pounds of methamphetamine and 1 ounce of fentanyl, Sgt. Ragsdale said.
The second vehicle, driven by Titan Nolet, a wanted parolee out of Los Angeles County, with passenger Natali Ontiveros was also stopped in the area. Ms. Ontiveros was on active probation.
Sgt. Ragsdale said Ms. Ontiveros was searched per her probation terms and that detectives located two loaded semi-automatic handguns inside her purse. Ms. Ontiveros had recently rented a local hotel room in the 3500 block of State Street.
Sgt. Ragsdale said detectives conducted a search of the room that yielded 11 ounces of heroin and other narcotics.
The street value of the narcotics seized was worth approximately $100,000, Sgt. Ragsdale said.
Viviana Martinez-Perez, a 38-year-old Bell Gardens resident, was charged with possession for sale of fentanyl (felony), transportation for sales of fentanyl (felony), possession for sale of methamphetamine (felony), transportation for sales of methamphetamine (felony), conspiracy (felony), possession of a controlled substance while armed (felony).
Rachel Delgado-Garcia, a 25-year-old Los Angeles resident, was charged with possession for sale of fentanyl (felony), transportation for sales of fentanyl (felony), possession for sale of methamphetamine (felony), transportation for sales of methamphetamine (felony), conspiracy (felony).
Titan Nolet, a 36-year-old Anaheim resident, was charged with possession for sale of fentanyl/heroin (felony), transportation for sales of fentanyl/heroin (felony), possession for sale of methamphetamine (felony), transportation for sales of methamphetamine (felony), conspiracy (felony), possession of a controlled substance while armed (felony).
Natali Ontiveros, a 31-year-old Anaheim resident, was charged with possession for sale of fentanyl/heroin (felony), transportation for sales of fentanyl/heroin (felony), possession for sale of methamphetamine (felony), transportation for sales of methamphetamine (felony), conspiracy (felony), possession of a controlled substance while armed (felony).
All arrestees were booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail, with bail set at $1 million.
— Dave Mason
Bicyclist dies from injuriesGOLETA — The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal bicycle accident that occurred Tuesday in the 6200 block of Cathedral Oaks Road of Goleta.
At approximately 10:53 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a bicyclist down. When they arrived, they found an adult man who was unconscious. The injured cyclist was immediately transported to an area hospital by ambulance where he succumbed to his injuries, Raquel Zick, the Sheriff’s Office public information officer, said.
The decedent is identified as 80-year-old William Poehler of Santa Barbara.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
— Dave Mason
Deputies investigate suspicious circumstancesORCUTT — Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies have determined that a report of a subject with a gun at St. Joseph’s High School was unfounded.
At approximately 9:53 a.m. on Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to St. Joseph’s High School to investigate a relayed report of a subject with a weapon on the Orcutt campus. When deputies arrived, the campus had already been placed on lockdown.
Deputies requested that Righetti High School also be placed on lockdown while they investigated the report.
Raquel Zick, the Sheriff’s Office public information officer, said school administrators contacted a student who was the original witness and relayed information to deputies. Additional units responded including a Sheriff’s K9 unit, Lompoc Police K9 unit, California Highway Patrol and County Air Support.
Deputies escorted students out of their classrooms and conducted a thorough search of the school for weapons using K9 units who are trained in explosive and firearm detection. While deputies conducted their search, the Sheriff’s Office provided updates to a gathering of concerned parents and media in the parking lot.
The lockdown at Righetti High School was ended as soon as it became apparent that this incident was isolated to St. Joseph’s.
Deputies didn’t find any weapons at St. Joseph, and no arrests were made, Ms. Zick said.
Students returned to their classrooms where classes resumed shortly after 1 p.m.
— Dave Mason
Santa Barbara High School ‘senior prank’ gone wrongSANTA BARBARA — Around 10:30 p.m. Monday, several residents called the Santa Barbara Police Combined Communications Center to report loud, unusual noises and breaking glass coming from Santa Barbara High School.
Several officers went to the high school. Whey they arrived, they found 50 to 60 individuals fleeing the high school’s main building and running toward East Canon Perdido Street. Officers were able to detain 16 individuals and determined they were Santa Barbara High School students.
Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, the police department’s public information officer, said the officers’ investigation showed a large number of students was attempting to perform a “senior prank” that involved gallons of baby oil, Vaseline, raw fish, and oysters being placed all over the floors and door handles. Toilet paper and streamers were strewn in trees outside the school, and police discovered vandalism including broken windows and items spray painted, Sgt. Ragsdale said.
The Santa Barbara High School principal was notified and responded to the school. This incident is currently under police investigation.
The total amount of damage and clean-up costs have yet to be determined
Sgt. Ragsdale said no other information is available.
— Dave Mason
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