Last weekend, I.V. Foot Patrol made several drug-related arrests after a traffic stop led officers to a group of drug traffickers planning to rob the initial suspect.
Saturday at 8:30 p.m., UCSB student James Chung was stopped for vehicle code violations and subsequently found to be in possession of over a quarter pound of marijuana and approximately $2,000 in cash, according to IVFP Lieutenant Ray Vuillemainroy.
“During the stop, deputies smelled the odor of marijuana emitting from the car,” Vuillemainroy said. “Chung agreed to a search of his vehicle.”
Chung was arrested for possession of marijuana for sales purposes, transportation of marijuana and other charges. Due to repeated felonious offenses, he was booked into jail with bail requested at $200,000.
After reviewing seized case evidence, deputies discovered that Chung was en route to meet another narcotics trafficker at a Del Playa apartment. The trafficker was identified as 20-year-old Jorden Gendron.
“After contacting the suspect, deputies developed information which led them to property on the 6500 block of Del Playa Drive,” Vuillemainroy said.
Continued investigation revealed that unbeknownst to Chung, Gendron was planning to rob him for the currency.
“Gendron himself admitted to deputies that he was planning on robbing Chung,” Vuillemainroy said.
Gendron was corroborated based on information on the planned robbery and subsequently arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $50,000.
After a search warrant was conducted at the residence on the 6500 block of Del Playa, approximately 1.5 pounds of processed marijuana, over one ounce of cocaine and $3,000 in cash was found and seized.
At the scene, Santa Barbara City College student Connor Field was arrested for possession of cocaine for sale, while SBCC student Christopher Tuszynski was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale. All perpetrators were booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $30,000 each.
