The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office last week filed a criminal complaint against a man for allegedly illegally manufacturing firearms in Santa Maria.
The man, Terry Casares, was allegedly working with his brother, Larry Casares, to unlawfully modify firearms that would otherwise be legal, as well as assemble other firearms from parts, according to Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Garrett Te Slaa.
The complaint came after Sheriff’s Office detectives conducted a probation search on Aug. 8 at a residence in the 300 block of West Monroe, following an emailed anonymous tip that the brothers were manufacturing firearms, according to a news release. Detectives observed illegal firearms at the residence and came back with a search warrant, ultimately seizing 12 firearms as well as high-capacity rifle magazines with ammunition.
“‘Manufacturing’ is the legal term used in the penal code for the section but it also applies to what might more accurately be described as ‘assembling’ firearms,” Te Slaa wrote in an email to the Sun. “In this case, they were doing both.”
Te Slaa added that in California, it’s possible to purchase firearm components that are not legal under state law and combine them with legal parts to create a firearm that is ultimately illegal.
Sheriff’s Office deputies also arrested Larry Casares and booked him into custody for violating the terms of his probation, and charged him with possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, according to a news release.
This article appears in Aug 18-25, 2016.