Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies confiscated two illegal weapons in two separate calls last week, officials reported on Monday.
The first incident started as a citizen’s report of suspicious people in a vehicle in Santa Ynez on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Deputies arrived at the scene at 3:12 p.m. and found three people with the vehicle.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, a search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded, un-serialized “ghost gun” in the glove box and narcotics in the car.
Deputies arrested two of the men and the third, a minor, was released to his guardian.
Marcus Sanchez, 22, was booked at the Main Jail for being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, possession of a loaded firearm while not being the registered owner, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a press release.
He has since been released on $35,000 bail.
Arthur Pichardo, 19, was booked at the Main Jail for possession of a loaded firearm while not being the registered owner, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was later released without bail due to the local court’s extension of Emergency Rule 4.
The second, and unrelated incident was in Buellton on Thursday, Jan. 27.
At around 12:07 p.m., deputies were sent to a report of a suspicious person in a vehicle.
The vehicle was stopped, along with three people in the nearby area.
During the search of the vehicle, deputies reported finding a loaded handgun and a large amount of cannabis.
Deputies arrested the driver. Johnny Boswell, 49, on suspicion of carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession of a loaded firearm while not being the registered owner, and possession of more than 28.5 grams of cannabis.
Boswell was booked at the Main Jail and later released. The two adult passengers in the vehicle were also issued citations for the cannabis and released at the scene.
