Jose Manuel Feito-Herrera and Jose Luis Gomez
SANTA BARBARA – It may be the case that two men from the Northern California town of Jackson in Amador County have been major “binge watchers” of AMC’s groundbreaking television series Breaking Bad, for they appear to have adopted the high-profit-margin business plan of that show’s fictional “Walter White” without stopping to consider the fictional nature of his impressive financial success as a producer and wholesaler of methamphetamine.
The only impediment standing between Jose Manuel Feito-Herrera, 37, and Jose Luis Gomez, 50, and the problem of “what to do with all that money” is the distinction between fiction and reality, as those who produce, transport, and market methamphetamine generally manage to come to the attention of law enforcement personnel.
Ten pounds of meth
According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, during the month of November, 2015, SBPD detectives became aware of the intention of illegal drug suppliers from Northern California to market their wares within the City of Santa Barbara.
At that time, the SBPD Narcotics Unit determined that Feito-Herrera and Gomez clearly “intended to deliver a large quantity of methamphetamine to Santa Barbara on December 8th.” Pursuant to that information, at 9:00 on the morning of the 8th, that same team of detectives, “assisted by the Santa Barbara Regional Crime Apprehension Team” observed the two men as they pulled into the parking lot of a popular downtown restaurant.
Surveillance ensued, during which the cops watched as Feito-Herrera and Gomez made obvious “preparations to sell the drugs from the trunk of their car.” Once that was confirmed, officers moved in with all due alacrity and caution as they promptly took both men into custody. At that time, the trunk of their vehicle was found to be holding ten full pounds of methamphetamine with a street value in excess of $50,000.
Feito-Herrera and Gomez were transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where they were booked on charges of sale of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for sale, and conspiracy to sell methamphetamine.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
