Santa Barbara County Narcotics detectives arrested three Isla Vista men in a drug bust Wednesday, seizing thousands of dollars worth of packaged cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy.

Corey Willyard

Matthew McCarty

Mohamed Hussein

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Dept. Public Information Officer Drew Sugars said two of the suspects — Mohamed Hussein, 20, and Matthew McCarty, 21 — were arrested during a search of their apartment on the 6500 block of Segovia Road. The remaining suspect, Corey Willyard, 20, was arrested at his place of work in Goleta.

Both Hussein and McCarty are listed in the UCSB student directory.

Sugars said detectives had been monitoring the suspects for two months before their arrest.

“It has been a lengthy investigation,” Sugars said. “We contacted the first suspect at his work place, and we picked up the others during the investigation of their residence with the search warrant.”

During the investigation of the apartment, detectives found Willyard in possession of Xanax pills, Oxycontin and half an ounce of cocaine valued at $2,000. Scales and packing supplies were also found, suggesting intent to distribute and sell.

Detectives also found Hussein in possession of 11 ounces of packaged marijuana, worth approximately $3,300. McCarty was found in possession of two ecstasy tabs estimated at a $20 value.

All three suspects were then booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail, the suspects were searched, and Willyard was found to be in possession of more cocaine.

“It was when he was being booked into the jail that staff found it,” Sugars said. “It wasn’t during the original process.”

Willyard was charged with possession of cocaine for sale, possession of a controlled substance, bringing drugs into a custodial facility and possession of drug paraphernalia, with bail requested at $120,000. Hussein was charged with possession of marijuana for sale and being under the influence of a controlled substance, with a $20,000 bail. Both men could face up to four years per felony charge.

The third suspect, McCarty, was booked into the county jail with $10,000 bail for possession of ecstasy.

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