An unlikely police officer helped apprehend a suspect during the
serving of a gang-related search warrant on Wednesday.
Around 8 a.m. more than 10 Hollister Police officers, along with
agents from the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), served a
search warrant at the residence of believed Norteno gang-member
Filiberto Ramirez Jr. at his residence at 300 Primavera Drive,
according to a police-issued statement.
Ramirez, who attempted to escape from his home when officers
were attempting to serve the warrant, was stopped by police K-9
”
Quinn
”
when the dog bit him, halting his escape, according to the
statement.
An unlikely police officer helped apprehend a suspect during the serving of a gang-related search warrant on Wednesday.
Around 8 a.m. more than 10 Hollister Police officers, along with agents from the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), served a search warrant at the residence of believed Norteno gang-member Filiberto Ramirez Jr. at his residence at 300 Primavera Drive, according to a police-issued statement.
Ramirez, who attempted to escape from his home when officers were attempting to serve the warrant, was stopped by police K-9 “Quinn” when the dog bit him, halting his escape, according to the statement.
Police had been looking for Ramirez since they conducted a search Dec. 19, 2003 of his previous residence on Haydon Street.
Police had obtained the warrant for drugs and evidence of gang-involvement following Ramirez’s prior arrest for possessing methamphetamine for sale. When the warrant was executed in December, Ramirez was out on bail and was not at the residence.
Officers tracked him to his new address on Primavera Drive where they obtained another search warrant.
As officers were announcing themselves at the residence Wednesday, Ramirez fled out the back window and attempted to jump over a fence into an adjacent backyard, according to Police Capt. Richard Vasquez.
Upon seeing an officer who was stationed at the back of the house who had anticipated this escape route, he tried to dive back into the window he had fled from, according to Vasquez.
Ramirez was ordered to stop fleeing by K-9 Officer Mike Mull, but when his commands went unheeded Quinn, a German Shepherd, bit Ramirez on his lower left leg, Vasquez said.
“(Mull) ordered the dog to stop and at that time the dog stopped,” Vasquez said. “After the dog bit (Ramirez) he was handcuffed and taken into custody.”
Ramirez, whose only injury consisted of the bite, was treated at the scene by American Medical Response and then taken to Hazel Hawkins Hospital for addition treatment of the wound, Vasquez said.
He was subsequently released and taken to the San Benito County Jail.
As a result of the search, police seized many gang-related items, graffiti and paraphernalia associated with the sale and distribution of illegal drugs, according to the statement.
Graffiti referencing the killing of police officers and other Norteno gang members was splayed across the walls of his room, and a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun was found under the bedding of a mattress, according to the statement.
Ramirez was booked on a variety of charges including: possession of methamphetamine for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, committing a felony offense while out on felony bail, being under the influence of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm and resisting arrest, according to the statement.
Gang-enhancement charges are also being sought, which if convicted, can add at least a few years to a sentence, Vasquez said.
“It shows that if you’re in a gang and you get involved in an activity you’re going to get a stiffer sentence,” he said. “That’s the attitude we’re going to take on it.”
Police also found additional drug paraphernalia and paraphernalia associated with the sale and distribution of drugs in another bedroom of the house belonging to an associate of Ramirez who was not present at the time of the search, according to the statement.
Police are still looking for this suspect and have criminal charges pending.
No other citizens, residents or officers were injured during the search.
