Authorities have arrested a Santa Maria man suspected of distributing methamphetamine in the Northern Santa Barbara County area.
Jaime Valdez, 36, was arrested at approximately 5 p.m. on Oct. 27 after investigators served a search warrant at Valdez’s residence in the 300 block of Hidden Pines Way in Santa Maria.
According to Lompoc Police Department Sgt. Danny Rios, the arrest was the result of a more than two-month joint investigation coordinated by the Lompoc Police Department’s Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team and narcotics detectives from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Valdez was booked into county jail after his arrest on suspicion of sale of a controlled substance, possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug deal, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of stolen property.
He remained in custody on $310,000 bail as of Nov. 9.
Though Valdez lives in Santa Maria, he’s suspected of supplying narcotics at least as far south as Lompoc, Rios said. Whether or not he’s considered a large-scale distributor is “open to interpretation,” Rios said. “But there is definitely a Lompoc connection.”
As part of the investigation, officers also served a follow-up search warrant at a residence on the 1800 block of Evelyn Court in Santa Maria. The two searches yielded more than 40 grams of methamphetamine, an undisclosed amount of cash, and a handgun, which was later determined to be stolen.
The Santa Maria Police Department also helped to execute the search warrants.
Law enforcement officials are asking anyone with more information to contact the Crime Stopper Hotline at 1-877-800-9100 or the anonymous Lompoc tip line at 736-0519.
This article appears in Nov 11-18, 2010.