June 13, 2022 – Santa Barbara County, Ca.
As the end of the school year approaches, with students gazing drearily out of classroom windows in anticipation of a summer of academic respite, pranks are not an uncommon way for graduating seniors to give playful expression to their sense of relief.
But at the crack of dawn on May 31 st at the campus of Cabrillo High School, youthful mischief stepped over the traditional line of “hijinks” into the realm of criminality. According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information officer Raquel Zick, a citizen’s report of vandalism brought SBSD patrol deputies to the campus where they discovered “racial slurs painted on walls and on windows” as well as “graphic images and profane messages” painted on walls throughout the school. Beyond the graffiti, deputies discovered “bags of wet cement” placed throughout classroom hallways to prevent doors from opening.
The ensuing investigation by the SBSD Criminal Investigation Division and School Resource Deputies led detectives to identify 18-year-old Lompoc resident Martin Perez as responsible for the damage. Perez was contacted at his residence, taken into custody, and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked on charges of committing a hate crime, vandalism, conspiracy, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
On June 6 th , two additional 18-year-old Lompoc residents were identified as suspects in the crimes; Luke Quezada and Shane Monroe were each contacted at their residences, taken into custody, and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where they now face the same charges filed against Perez.
