Robert Miller and Russell Gillette
Santa Barbara County – Weekend gatherings of “outlaw” motorcycle gangs at public venues have a way of attracting the attention of law enforcement, a principle once again validated on May 21st at the Cuyama Buckhorn Restaurant in the northernmost Santa Barbara community of New Cuyama.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, the restaurant was the site of a planned music and social event where SBSD detectives anticipated a number of “participants from several outlaw motorcycle gangs.”
Those suspicions were apparently justified, as nearly 1500 attendees included a number of motorcycle enthusiasts who were being carefully observed by detectives “to ensure the safety of all who attended.”
Those observations led to contact between several bikers and several other men carrying SBSD badges, whereupon pursuant to a “traffic enforcement stop,” it was quickly determined that Bakersfield Robert Miller, 32, was in possession of anabolic steroids and was operating a motorcycle without a valid driver’s license.
He was arrested at the scene and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on charges of possession of anabolic steroids for sale and operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license, with his bail set at $30,000.
Police display drugs found on Miller
It was during Miller’s traffic stop that three other Bakersfield bikers, Oscar Romero, 24, Thomas Trees, 44, and Russell Gillette, 40, were contacted by deputies at which time they were found to be in possession of concealed and loaded pistols.
Romero and Trees avoided a trip to jail with the issuance of citations calling for their appearance in court, while Gillette was discovered to have an outstanding San Luis Obispo County arrest warrant pending, which earned him a free ride to the San Luis Obispo County Jail.
Photos: courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, Santa Barbara County Sheriff
