Hollister – Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team officers arrested
a 28-year-old Los Banos man yesterday for possession of seven
pounds crystal methamphetamine and cultivation of several marijuana
plants.
Hollister – Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team officers arrested a 28-year-old Los Banos man yesterday for possession of seven pounds crystal methamphetamine and cultivation of several marijuana plants.
Cerefinio Ortiz Jr. was arrested in Hollister when UNET officers who had had him under surveillance found him in front of his parents’ Hollister home holding seven pounds of crystal meth wrapped in a jacket, said UNET Task Force Commander Mark Colla. Ortiz later pointed officers to another half-pound stashed at his home in Los Banos. UNET officers also found six marijuana plants in his home during a consent search, along with a scale and various packaging materials, according to Colla. The squad also seized about $2,600 in cash, he said.
“We consider him (Ortiz) a major meth trafficker and dealer,” said Colla. “We believe he’s part of a larger organized crime group, because that’s definitely a large amount of narcotics.”
The seized meth has a street value of about $224,000, Colla said.
Ortiz was taken into custody at the San Benito County jail Friday, where his bail was set at $150,000. Ortiz posted bail that afternoon, and will appear in court on April 19, according to Sgt. Barnes at the jail.
Ortiz was arrested several years ago in Fresno for possession of controlled substances, Colla said, but added he wasn’t sure if the arrest led to a conviction.
Staff Writer Jessica Quandt covers politics for the Hollister Free Lance. Reach her at [email protected].
