Santa Maria man busted selling cannabis to children

April 4, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Following a more than two month investigation, detectives arrested a Santa Maria man on Tuesday for selling cannabis to children.

In January, a parent contacted the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to report that her child had purchased nicotine vapes through the social media app Snapchat. Detectives then traced the suspect Snapchat account to 23-year-old Jose Luis Maya.

During their investigation, detectives discovered Maya created a significant marijuana and vape re-sale business where he sold products that he hadpurchased legally, at a markup, primarily to minors. Known by his username “Mr. Maya,” he appeared to target minors through Snapchat.

On April 1, detectives arrested Maya and booked him in the Northern Branch Jail for selling marijuana to a minor and violation of probation. He is being held without bail.

Detectives encourage parents to check their children’s accounts to see if they were in contact with Maya. They are asking anyone with information related to this case to contact the Cannabis Compliance Team at (805) 681-4150.

“In addition to protecting consumers and the integrity of the legal cannabis market, arresting suspects involved in illegal sales helps prevent organized crime and the associated violence that often accompanies illicit drug trade,” according to detectives. “Overall, the enforcement of arrests for illegal marijuana sales is an essential element in maintaining a well-regulated and responsible cannabis industry.”