Citizen Reports of Suspicious Subjects Result in Arrests for Illegal Guns and Drugs

Source: Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff’s Deputies in Central Stations confiscated two illegal weapons during separate calls last week. The first incident on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, started as a citizen’s report of suspicious subjects in a vehicle near the hardware store in the 1000-block of Edison Street in Santa Ynez. Deputies were dispatched to the area around 3:12 p.m. and located three subjects associated with the vehicle. A probation search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded, un-serialized “ghost gun” in the glove box and narcotics paraphernalia in the car. Deputies arrested two of the male occupants and the third, a male juvenile, was released to his guardian. 22-year-old Marcus Sanchez of Santa Ynez was booked at the Main Jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm (felony), prohibited person in possession of ammunition (misdemeanor), possession of a loaded firearm- not the registered owner (misdemeanor), carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (misdemeanor), contributing to the delinquency of a minor (misdemeanor), and possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor). He has since been release on $35,000 bail. 19-year-old Arthur Pichardo of Santa Maria was booked at the Main Jail for possession of a loaded firearm- not the registered owner (misdemeanor), carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (misdemeanor), contributing to the delinquency of a minor (misdemeanor), and possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor) and later released without bail pursuant to the local Court’s extension of Emergency Rule 4.

The second, and unrelated incident was on Thursday, January 27, 2022, in the 100-block of E. Hwy 246 in Buellton. At approximately 12:07 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a citizen report of a suspicious subject in a vehicle. Deputies stopped the vehicle and three occupants in the nearby area. During a search of the vehicle, deputies found a loaded handgun underneath the driver’s seat and a large amount of cannabis. Deputies arrested the driver of the vehicle, 49-year-old Johnny Boswell of Auberry, for carrying a loaded firearm in public (misdemeanor), possession of a loaded firearm- not the registered owner (misdemeanor), and possession of more than 28.5 grams of cannabis (misdemeanor). Boswell was booked at the Main Jail and later cite released. The two adult passengers in the vehicle were also issued citations for the cannabis and released at the scene.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the observant community members who called in these suspicious subjects. These citizens took the time to reach out when they noticed something suspicious and provide helpful information for deputies who responded to the area. With the help of the community, deputies were able to safely seize two illegally possessed weapons.