Car Thieves Found at Motel 6 in Carp
A deputy on a 4 a.m. premises check at Motel 6 on the 4200 block of Via Real in Carpinteria found a couple sitting in a parked Toyota in the parking lot and did a vehicle check. That car and three others in the lot turned out to be stolen. Jose Francisco Gonzales, 22, Christian Juarez, 23, and Cristal Landa, 18, all of Santa Barbara, and Cesar Ortega, 21, of Goleta, were arrested after a search of their motel room.
More stolen property was found in the motel room, including electronics, firearms, and musical equipment, as well as methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Three of the suspects initially provided false IDs. The four were booked on numerous charges, including conspiracy, vehicle theft, providing false identity to a peace officer, and possession of stolen property, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. All were booked into County Jail with a bail request of $150,000 each.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with information on the thefts or the suspects to call (805) 683-2724, or the anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171.
