Central Coast roundup

By El Latino Newsroom
[email protected]

The Ventura County Sheriff’s (VCSO) deputies arrested two suspects for theft of catalytic converters and also recovered six stolen converters, last week.

On Tuesday, at approximately 3:40 a.m., agents responded to the area of Dearborn Place and Armitos Avenue for a reported theft of a catalytic converter that had just occurred, the VCSO said.

Authorities informed they had the suspect vehicle description and approximately 7 minutes later, deputies spotted a similar vehicle on Highway 101, southbound and conducted a traffic enforcement stop near the Las Positas offramp. 

During the traffic stop, deputies found a total of six stolen catalytic converters in the vehicle along with a car jack and several electric saws. 

Deputies arrested both occupants of the vehicle, 29-year-old Francisco Puente from the Los Angeles area and 37-year-old Francisco Javier Trujillo Gaona from Culver City. 

Both suspects then were booked at the Santa Barbara Main Jail for six counts of grand theft (felony), six counts of conspiracy (felony), six counts of vehicle tampering (misdemeanor), possession of burglary tools (misdemeanor) and are being held on an enhanced bail of $500,000. 

Puente was booked on the additional charges of possession of a controlled substance (misdemeanor), and possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor).

“The Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge the quick thinking of the reporting party who called 911 when they realized they were likely hearing a catalytic converter theft”, the VCSO said.

The theft of catalytic converters is popular because they can be easily removed, they do not have identifying marks like serial numbers, and the components are made up of precious metals that can be resold to recyclers. 

The Sheriff Department stated there are steps that can be taken to thwart these thefts including parking inside a garage or secured yard, installing motion detector lights near parking areas, installing a catalytic converter protection device, and educating neighbors to be on the look-out for thieves, among others.

SUSPECT OF KILLING ARRESTED

A man who had been on the loose for several days following the murder of an elderly person in Santa Ynez was caught and arrested in Santa Cruz last week after someone tip the authorities about his location.

Rylen Quinn Svane-Morris, 26, of Lancaster is the only suspected accused of killing 72-year-old Terry Wilson the morning of Saturday October 7^th, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office (SBCSO). 

On that Saturday, a little before 4 a.m., a 911 caller reported an emergency in the 1000 block of Jason Way in Santa Ynez.

Deputies arrived and found Wilson, who later died at the scene, while Svane-Morris fled before deputies arrived.

Several hours after the killing, investigators discovered a blue 2014 Chrysler Town & Country minivan had been stolen from a home in the area where the murder occurred. Due to the proximity of the locations, detectives believed Svane-Morris stole the minivan after committing the murder.

On Tuesday, after receiving a tip about Svane-Morris, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies contacted the suspect and arrested him without incident. Santa Cruz deputies also recovered the stolen vehicle.

The vehicle will be returned to its owner.

DEPUTY ADMITS SEXUAL ABUSING INMATES 

Santa Barbara County custody deputy pled guilty to charges of forced oral copulation and sexual activity with an inmate, the District Attorneys Office announced last week.

“On the eve of trial, the defendant decided to plead guilty to all charges and allegations, and be sentenced by the court,” according to District Attorney Joyce Dudley. 

In Aug. 2017, Salvador Vargas, 36, was transporting a female inmate, Jane Doe, who had been released from jail on electronic monitoring, to a residential treatment facility when he stopped and parked, Vargas then ordered Doe to perform oral sex on him.

Doe, that is a fictitious name to protect her identity, terrified that Vargas would send her back to jail if she did not comply, eventually gave into his demands.

Exactly a year later, another abuse was made by Vargas when an inmate reported she had been sexually assaulted. 

Detectives then mounted an investigation into Vargas and a group of intertwined victims.

Investigators determined Vargas took advantage of several inmates at the Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was employed as a discharge planner. 

Several women accused the defendant of sexually assaulting them, and providing favors to those who engaged in sexual activity with him.

“The guilty plea in this case was not a result of any plea bargain offered by the Prosecution, but rather was the result of an extraordinary investigation by two law enforcement agencies and a caring and hardworking prosecution team.”

Vargas is facing a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and his sentencing is scheduled for next year on Jan. 24.

SBF GIVES MORE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara is already accepting scholarship applications for the 2023-2024 academic year to students from all over the Ventura and SB Counties. 

The Scholarship Foundation reviewed 2,749 applications during its recently concluded scholarship awards cycle. 

“Each year, we encourage students to begin the application as soon as possible, as in many cases they will have questions or need assistance. Our program advisors are an excellent resource for applicants throughout the county,” said Foundation Chief Programs Officer, Len Smolburd.

In May, the organization awarded more than $7.7 million in scholarships to 2,146 Santa Barbara County students. 

Scholarship awards for undergraduates at four-year schools averaged $3,132, while graduate student awards (excluding those for medical school) averaged $5,191. 

“The Foundation also supports students pursuing vocational training. Eligible students may receive up to five years of undergraduate funding and four years of medical/graduate-level funding,” said Smolburd.

Smolburd also stated the primary criteria for award selection are financial need, academic achievement, and motivation.

The deadline to apply for financial aid from the Scholarship Foundation is January 15 of next year. 

Eligibility requirements and application instructions are available online at www.sbscholarship.org.