Birthday drug bust lands Visalia man in jail
VISALIA, Calif. — (Oct. 28, 2008) It probably wasn’t the surprise party Jose Juan Escamilla Rodriguez was hoping for. Rodriguez was arrested on his birthday when Visalia Narcotics and patrol officers served a fruitful narcotics search warrant on Rodriguez in his car and then at this home.
When the officers neared Rodriquez’s residence at 316 NE 2nd St. in Visalia on the afternoon of October 28, he was just driving away. But when he ran through a stop sign, the police pulled him over, according to Visalia Police Sgt. Steve Phillips. After a search of Rodriguez, 23, and his car, the officers went back to his home to serve the warrant at his home.
There was a lot to be found in the search, according to Visalia Police. The officers found more than an ounce of crystal methamphetamine in the house, in addition to cocaine and marijuana, packaged for sale.
Rodriguez was out of jail on bail for a previous meth sales charge, according to Visalia Police. He returned to jail after being booked on charges of transportation of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and cocaine for sale and committing a felony while out on bail.
