Alleged Drug Dealer Leads Detectives on Chase

Just three weeks after 12 people were arrested for methamphetamine related offenses, on Friday, June 18, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s narcotics detectives arrested another man suspected of dealing methamphetamine and heroin in Santa Barbara County.

According to Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Drew Sugars, detectives and Sheriff’s deputies attempted to serve a search and arrest warrant on the suspect, 29-year-old Brandon Gaffke, while he was in his vehicle at the corner of Calle Real and Kellogg Avenue. When they tried to stop him, Gaffke reportedly raced away. Deputies then chased him for approximately two miles through residential neighborhoods until he stopped on Patterson Avenue, south of Cathedral Oaks Road.

Narcotics detectives determined that Gaffke threw approximately one ounce of crystal methamphetamine and three ounces of brown powder heroin from his vehicle onto the passing streets while driving. He also had prepackaged ecstasy, heroin, and methamphetamine on his person, estimated at a street value of more than $10,000. Around $1,500 was seized from him pursuant to State Asset Forfeiture Laws. His El Sueno Road residence was later searched and drug paraphernalia and a small amount of pills were discovered there.

Sugars said that he did not believe there was a connection between this and prior arrests as this had been a seven-month-long investigation dating back to before any other arrests had been made.

Gaffke was charged with possession and transportation of methamphetamine for sales and possession and transportation of heroin for sales. No bail was set as he has several outstanding drug-related warrants.