Santa Barbara – Perhaps finding that the profits in home-based businesses such as telephone sales, survey taking, envelope-stuffing, and secret shopping simply don’t yield the returns promised by the internet and late-night TV hucksters, one enterprising Santa Barbara resident struck upon a highly lucrative “work from home” opportunity: heroin sales.
According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, on January 15th a two-month long investigation into the activities of Westside Santa Barbara resident James Robert Begg, 50, ended with his arrest on charges of possession of heroin for sale, sale of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Harwood reported to the media that “on January 10, 2014, Santa Barbara Police Department Narcotics Unit Detectives obtained a search warrant for Begg’s residence”, but conducted surveillance of him for the next five days “in preparation for executing the search warrant.” During this time, Mr. Beggs was observed conducting his retail narcotics trade from his residence, and at that point it apparently became a waiting game for officers. The waiting came to an end on the morning of January 15th when Beggs hopped on his bike and blithely rode off down the street…only to be confronted by officers who returned him to his home and discovered more than six grams of heroin, nearly $500 cash, and assorted drug paraphernalia indicating an active marketing system.
But Mr. Beggs is apparently nothing if not creative, for when he was interviewed by arresting officers, he “denied selling heroin, but stated that he gives it away to people to help those suffering from withdrawal.” His incredible—in every sense of the word–explanation was undoubtedly met with appreciation for its originality by his arresting officers who nevertheless transported him to Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked with his bail set at $30,000.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
Read more:
KCOY: Suspected heroin dealer arrested in Santa Barbara
Noozhawk: SB man arrested on Heroin charges
