Hollister
– The San Benito County Sheriff’s gang suppression unit arrested
three suspected dope dealers and took hundreds of dollars worth of
drugs off the streets during weekend patrols.
Hollister – The San Benito County Sheriff’s gang suppression unit arrested three suspected dope dealers and took hundreds of dollars worth of drugs off the streets during weekend patrols.
Sheriff Curtis Hill said the gang suppression unit is working in cooperation with the Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team to track gang members and sniff out drug dealers. The sheriff said that criminal street gangs control much of the drug trade in Hollister.
“It works hand in glove,” Hill said. “We take care of two things at once.”
Hill said the unit will be operating most weekends to help take drugs and guns off the streets. The unit is funded in part through a state anti-methamphetamine grant.
The unit patrols the city, looking for people wanted on warrants or for violating parole or probation, Lt. Roy Iler said. The unit also keeps an eye out for known gang members.
In all, the unit took about 19 grams of suspected methamphetamine worth $1,000, 4.83 grams of suspected cocaine and $2,128 in drug money off the streets Friday and Saturday, Iler said.
Iler said taking the drug profits out of circulation keeps dealers from purchasing more narcotics and, more importantly, guns.
“The money and the dope keeps getting recycled,” he said.
On Friday, deputies arrested Carmen Gabriele Jr., a 29-year-old San Juan Bautista resident, at 9:10pm on suspicion of drug sales, drug possession and drug transportation, all felonies, Iler said. Iler said Gabriele was arrested on Park Street east of San Benito Street when deputies noticed a 2003 Lexus with no tail lights.
After being told Gabriele Jr. was on parole, deputies searched him and found suspected methamphetamine, Iler said. In the vehicle, deputies found cash and more suspected methamphetamine, Iler said.
The gang suppression unit seized 6.34 grams of methamphetamine and $1,384 in cash during the arrest, deputies said.
At 4pm Saturday, deputies arrested Samuel Gaona, 41, and Anthony Gonzales, 24, both of Hollister, on suspicion of drug sales, drug possession, drug transportation and conspiracy, all felonies, Iler said. The gang suppression unit had gone to the 1500 block of Valley View Road specifically to look for Gaona, Iler said.
“They got a tip he was supposed to be in that area,” Iler said.
When the gang unit arrived at the apartment complex, Det. John Pena spotted Gaona driving a 1992 Chevrolet Camaro out of the parking lot, Iler said. When the unit tried to pull the car over, the driver fled south through the streets of Hollister, eventually stopping at Foxwood Street and Valley View Road, Iler said.
Upon searching the car, deputies found 12.51 grams of methamphetamine worth $650, 4.83 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, a methamphetamine smoking pipe, packaging material and $744 in cash, Iler said.
Iler said drugs weren’t the only thing the gang unit took off the streets over the weekend.
“We got two parolees at large who shouldn’t be on the street right now,” he said. “They should be in state prison.”
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
