Charges Dropped Against Suspect Accused of Aiding Fugitive
Judge Cites Insufficient Evidence to Show Luis Urbina Knowingly Helped a Wanted Person
The case against Luis Urbina, a man arrested for allegedly aiding fugitive Jeffrey Parish, has been dropped. Prosecutor Benjamin Ladinig said a judge didn’t think the evidence was sufficient to show Urbina knowingly helped a wanted man.
Urbina, 43, was the primary caretaker for Parish’s mother, who lived in Santa Barbara. According to authorities, he was sending large amounts of money to Guatemala that eventually reached Parish. Parish received the maximum term of 10 years and eight months in state prison last year.
After his arrest in 1994, Parish posted bail and skipped town. He was eventually tracked down in Guatemala, arrested, and was sent back to Santa Barbara. Back in court last year, he pleaded no contest to a charge of lewd act upon a child with the special allegation of substantial sexual contact, a strike under California law. He also pleaded no contest to oral copulation with a person under the age of 16 and charges related to skipping bail and failing to appear in court. As part of his sentence, Parish had to register as a sex offender for life.
