Updated Thursday, August 21, 12:20 a.m.
A Santa Barbara city employee was arrested Monday on a slew of felony charges, including possession of cocaine; possession of assault weapons; possession of extended-capacity magazines; and the possession, manufacture, and distribution of child pornography.
Dayton Aldrich, 34, is currently employed by the City of Santa Barbara as a community development program specialist. “Mr. Aldrich did mostly contract and budget management work for the City and had no interaction through his employment with children,” said city spokesperson Bryan Latchford, adding Aldrich has been placed on administrative leave pending processing of the charges.
At the time of his arrest, Aldrich ― who had no prior criminal record ― was also the board president of the Winchester Canyon Gun Club (WCGC). Wednesday afternoon, “Effective immediately, Mr. Dayton Aldrich is no longer qualified to serve as a member of the Board of Directors and has been voted off the Board,” said WCGC Vice President Paul McKenna in a public statement.
Aldrich previously worked for the District Attorney’s Office ― from 2015 to 2017, and again from 2019 to 2024 ― as a victim witness program assistant and a legal office professional, respectively.
In 2014, Aldrich applied to fill a vacant City of Goleta council seat, arguing for more after-school activities to prevent unsupervised children from doing “nefarious things.” In 2017, he was publicly recognized for his work with victims of elder abuse.
Aldrich is being held at the Santa Barbara County Jail on $1 million bail. At his arraignment on Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty. Attempts to reach Aldrich’s attorney for comment were not successful.
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