Recently, two UCSB students were allegedly robbed at gunpoint after they invited a former roommate and another man, who is now in custody, into their apartment under the guise of a friendly visit.

Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Dept. spokesman Sgt. Erik Raney said the robbery occurred on Saturday, Feb. 10 at approximately 6:30 p.m. Shortly after the victims invited the two men into their Isla Vista apartment, one of the men allegedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and demanded all of the cash in the apartment.

The robbery was premeditated, as the perpetrator was aware of a safe in the apartment that contained three ounces of marijuana and $5,000 in cash, Raney said. After the perpetrator allegedly emptied the contents of the safe into his backpack, the victims were told to stay in the bathroom and not emerge until after he fled the apartment.

Several days later, an investigation led by the sheriff’s detectives ended in the arrest of Billy Wayne Gossett of Goleta, a 27-year-old YMCA youth basketball coach. Raney said Gossett was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on five counts, including robbery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, burglary and assault with a firearm. His bail is set at $100,000.

Nathan Martin, 24, accompanied Gossett during the alleged robbery and is the former roommate of one of the victims. However, detectives determined that Gossett acted independently, and Martin is no longer under investigation.