Santa Maria man arrested for selling pot, illegal guns

May 6, 2022

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Santa Maria man who allegedly sold marijuana illegally in northern Santa Barbara County and had a stash of firearms and cash.

Recently, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Cannabis Compliance Team conducted an investigation into a suspect selling marijuana in Orcutt and the surrounding area. On Thursday, at the conclusion of the investigation, detectives served a warrant at the suspect’s home in the 200 block of N. Smith Street in Santa Maria. There, deputies arrested Angel Reynoso-Juarez, 28, without incident, according to the sheriff’s office.

During a search of the home, detectives found more than two pounds of processed marijuana, as well as numerous firearms and more than $80,000 in cash. Two of the firearms were illegally possessed assault weapons, one of which did not have a serial number.

Authorities booked Reynoso-Juarez in the northern branch jail on charges of possession of marijuana for sale, transportation of marijuana for sales, conspiracy, possession of an assault weapon and manufacturing a short-barreled rifle. Even though three of the charges were felonies, deputies later released Reynoso-Juarez with a citation due to the local extension of California’s $0 bail coronavirus rule.