Photo: James Butler
Ventura County – A gang-banger party was busted on May 16th for half a dozen people. One can only surmise that the life of a Ventura County criminal gang member must be fraught with a palpable level of anxiety and a perpetual concern over the relentless, coordinated efforts of local law enforcement agencies.
Butler’s cache
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Senior Deputy Eman Jauregu, the VCSD’s Gang Unit, working with “the assistance of the Sheriff’s Post-release Offender Supervision Unit” as well as the California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force, had been keeping close tabs on 43-year-old James Butler, “a known gang member” for well over a month.
Butler became the focus of attention when detectives came to believe he was actively operating a narcotics sales organization and—in violation of prior parole terms—was in possession of multiple firearms.
Pursuant to that suspicion, on May 16th, deputies served a search warrant of Butler and his residence, leading to the discovery of “a loaded firearm, methamphetamine, and heroin believed to be packaged for sales.”
In the service of the search warrant, cops found quite a gathering of Butler’s social contacts, including Marie Snyder, 33, Jose Hernandez, 40, Jose Vela, 35, Joshua Hold, 36, and Ashley Barreto, 20, all suspected as active members of a criminal street gang.
All six were in violation of multiple offenses and transported to Ventura County Jail.
As a result, their charges include –
Vela – (outstanding felony warrant for Parole violation and narcotics violations);
Snyder – (possession of methamphetamine for sales);
Hernandez – (outstanding warrant for drug possession for sales);
Holt – “a serious habitual offender,” (under the influence of a controlled substance), and
Barreto – also “a serious habitual offender,” (under the influence of a controlled substance).
Butler remains in custody with a bail amount of $570,000.
Photos: Courtesy Ventura County Jail, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
