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The concept of probation and an appreciation of its rights and responsibilities appears to remain elusive for many of those who have been convicted of a crime but who have somehow been granted probationary terms by judges who just might have recessive “unrealistic hope and trust” set of nucleotides in their genetic makeup.
Absent that possibility, it’s hard to explain the behavior of 29-year-old Fillmore resident Carlos Vargas who was arrested on the morning of April 9th for violating one of the most specific restrictions for one under active probation or parole: possession of a firearm or ammunition.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sr. Deputy Dustin Heersche, Vargas is an individual with “two previous felony convictions involving the possession of firearms and controlled substances. As such, he was allowed to continue to enjoy his freedom without serving a period of incarceration, with the understanding that he would be subject to “search of his person, residence, vehicle, or any property under his control” by any law enforcement officer without the need to obtain a search warrant.
With that understanding by both Vargas and the law enforcement community, Fillmore Patrol Station deputies dropped in on Vargas’ residence on the morning of April 9th for an unannounced visit. While in the home, deputies discovered “a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition.” Oops.
Vargas as taken into custody and transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and in possession of ammunition. He remains in custody on a no-bail hold.
