Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
On April 17, 2021 around 7:40pm, an Officer was on patrol in the area of 200 N. Quarantina Street when they noticed a vehicle commit a traffic violation. During a traffic stop, the driver provided a false name to the Officer. After further investigation, the driver finally provided his correct name, Alejandro Alvarez (30 years old), a Santa Barbara resident. Alvarez did not want to provide his true identity for fear of potential arrest. It was discovered Alvarez was driving on an expired driver’s license.
During a search of the vehicle, Officers located drug paraphernalia, live ammunition, credit cards that didn’t belong to him, and a large amount of money.
One of Santa Barbara Police Department’s K-9 Officers responded to the scene with a specially trained dog that detects narcotics to examine Alvarez’s vehicle.
The K-9 alerted the Officers to the potential of more narcotics inside the vehicle. Searching further, Officers discovered heroin, a large amount of methamphetamine and cocaine. Also located inside the vehicle was a stun-gun and a replica firearm.
Alvarez was taken into custody and was booked in the Santa Barbara County Jail for:
- Possession for Sales Cocaine – 11351 H&S Felony,
- Possession for Sales Methamphetamine – 11379 H&S Felony,
- Possession for Transportation Cocaine – 11352 H&S Felony,
- Possession for Transportation Methamphetamine – 11378 H&S Felony,
- Felon in Possession of Stun-Gun – 22610 PC Felony,
- Felon in Possession of Ammunition – 30305 PC Felony,
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – 11364 H&S Misdemeanor, and
- False Identification to a Peace Officer – 148.9 PC Misdemeanor.
Alvarez is currently being held on $35,000 bail.
Very good arrest. I gots to know, what was the traffic violation?
Approval of the detention on such suspicious grounds is unhealthy for our society. Yes, we are happy that in this case a bad guy was apprehended. But such detentions happen dozens of times without more serious results. Dozens of folks are aware that they go out in public at the whim of the police. Didn’t we just see a killing of a young black man who was pulled over for registration problems or was it a hanging freshener? Living in a society which gives cops this discretion is pretty scary if you are not of the same culture as the cops.
This POS individual has no doubt been in and out of custody, trials and custody over and over… I will bet $100 that The SB Housing Authority is providing taxpayer fund housing for this idiot as well.
Remember to call a social worker the next time you need assistance.
915FILMS: The allegation without specifics that “they” or “an officer” “noticed” a traffic violation is pretty suspect. One cannot drive anywhere without an allegation of appearing to commit a possible traffic violation. These sort of detentions do not often happen in this sort of low key business/residential areas. These sort of detentions are often subterfuge for selective deprivation of constitutional protections for certain groups of people. If you don’t believe this happens you haven’t lived in the world of a huge portion of our populace experiences.
@RHS: Cop pulls you over for a traffic violation, happens hundreds of times a day all over the city. I am speculating here but they probably run the plate prior to approaching the car, which (if the car belonged to Alvarez) would indicate it was owned by a felon on parole. Cop approaches car, asks for license and registration, easily catching Alvarez’s lies. At this point the cop has every right to search. And as for Miranda rights, as I recall from my wayward youth the times they have been read to me were always after the phrase “you are under arrest…”