Jailhouse Drug Smuggler Sentenced to Prison

Paul Bautista, 30, accused in November 2011 of smuggling drugs into Santa Barbara County Jail and providing them to Marcos Ramos, 33, pleaded guilty to those charges on February 19th and was summarily sentenced to a two-year term in state prison.

At the time of Ramos’ incarceration on parole violation charges of possession of a weapon by a felon, he was awaiting transfer to California’s Wasco Detention facility for further processing.  According to Santa Barbara Public Information Officer Drew Sugars’ statements to the media at that time, Ramos was found in possession of more than four grams of heroin, assorted prescription pills, marijuana, and tobacco.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotis and Gang Units, in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau, pursuant to jail visitation records research, procured and served search and arrest warrants upon the residence of Samantha Aftergut, 34.  At that time considerable drug evidence was seized.

“Evidence initially pointed to Bautista as having been given the drugs by Aftergut and entering the jail facility with those drugs and passing them to inmate Ramos,” Sugars said at the time.

Both Ramos and Bautista are alleged Santa Maria area gang members.

Within a week of the discovery of the contraband in Ramos’ possession, he was convicted of violating his parole and sentenced to eight years in state prison.

Aftergut was initially charged by Chief Deputy District Attorney Hilary Dozer, but following Bautista’s guilty plea, those charges were dropped, as Dozer reported to the media that “evidence with regard to Ms. Aftergut was insufficient to proceed. ”

Photos: courtesy Santa Barbara County Sheriffs; Santa Barbara County Jail Booking

Read more:

Santa Barbara Independent: Man Sentenced to Two Years for Smuggling Drugs into Jail

Santa Maria Times: 2 inmates, alleged accomplice arrested in jail drug bust

The Daily Sound: Santa Barbara cops bust jail inmates smuggling drugs