Watsonville Gang-Related Arrests and Weapon Seizures
Originally Published By Watsonville Police Department
“A multi-agency operation led by our department ended with the arrest of three people with local gang ties and the recovery of two guns and ammunition.
Francisco Rocha was at the center of this investigation, as Detectives suspected that the 29-year-old convicted felon had guns and had given a gun to a minor.
Rocha, who is also a known gang member, fled and was resisting arrest while Officers were attempting to detain him at Seacliff State Beach Tuesday afternoon. As they were detaining him, Officers found a loaded gun in his pocket. The Watsonville resident was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail for felony possession of a firearm, providing a juvenile with a gun, resisting arrest, and gang participation.
Following his arrest, a search warrant was served at Rocha’s home on the 100 block of Stanford Street, where 18-year-old Gabriel Tapia was arrested for illegally having a gun.
Also connected to this case is 20-year-old Giovanni Aburto, who was arrested after Officers served a second search warrant on the 800 block of Vista Montaña Drive. Aburto is a known gang member and had several outstanding warrants. The suspect was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail.
We’d like to thank our partners from the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, Santa Cruz Auto Theft Reduction and Enforcement Task Force, California Highway Patrol, and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office for helping us with the operation.”
