Photo: Heraclio Pulido
May 3, 2020o – Santa Barbara, County, Ca.
The global COVID-19 pandemic is not only having a serious impact upon the nation’s healthcare systems, but it appears to be affecting the enforcement of “non-violent” crimes throughout the Santa Barbara County legal system.
Evidence of this phenomenon came with the arrest and immediate release without the setting of bail of 26-year-old Santa Barbara resident Heraclio Pulido.
seized from Pulido
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Raquel Zick, it was on the morning of April 27th when detectives from the SBSD Special Investigations Bureau, assisted by local area California Highway Patrol officers, served a search warrant on Pulido’s residence, pursuant to “an ongoing investigation into criminal activities” involving Pulido.
Once inside Pulido’s apartment, detectives discovered a small arsenal and a veritable pharmacy of illegal drugs. The weapons found to be in Pulido’s possession included “two Springfield 1911 pistols, a Glock .40 caliber pistol, and FN57 pistol, a Marlin .22LR rifle, a Mossberg pump-action shotgun, a .357 revolver, and an AR15 rifle.”
Pulido’s cache of drugs included methamphetamine, methamphetamine paraphernalia, prescription medication , cocaine, a scale, and baggies used in the sale and distribution of controlled substances.
Pulido was arrested at the scene and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on a plethora of felonies including possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia, and assorted firearms violations.
Once he was booked, however, Pulido was escorted to the jail exit and released pursuant to the county’s Emergency Bail Schedule designed to alleviate jail crowding under the terms of the governor’s declared COVID-19 State of Emergency.
Photos: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, SBSD Special Investigations BureauP
