Drug Investigation Leads to Arrest of Two Inmates

Santa Barbara - November 17th, 2011

On Friday, November 11, 2011, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Custody Deputies located a large amount of narcotics on an alleged gang member housed at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail.

Custody Deputies searched inmate Marcos Ramos (DOB 2/18/78) of Santa Barbara, who was found to be in possession of more than 4.5 grams of heroin, two dozen prescription pills (including Oxycontin), marijuana and tobacco. Custody Deputies continued their investigation and identified two additional suspects who were involved in smuggling the narcotics into the jail.

With the assistance of the Narcotics and Gang Units in the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau, a search and arrest warrant was served in the 500 block of Dentro Drive in the unincorporated area of Santa Barbara on Saturday, November 12, 2011. During the search, Sheriff’s personnel located dozens of bottles of prescription medication and gang indicia. That same day, they arrested Samantha Anne Aftergut (DOB 2/14/77) who lived at the residence.

Investigators identified a third suspect, alleged gang member and inmate Paul Charles Bautista (DOB 9/12/82) of Santa Maria. Aftergut is suspected of giving the drugs to Bautista, who then smuggled them into the jail and passed them on to Ramos. Ramos had recently been sentenced to eight years for weapons violations and was awaiting transfer to state prison.

All three suspects were arrested on violations of criminal conspiracy (182 PC), bringing narcotics into a custody facility (4573 PC), and committing a felony to benefit a street gang (186.22(b)(1) PC). Ramos and Bautista were re-booked into county jail with bail set at $100,000. Aftergut was booked into county jail with bail set at $100,000.

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