SPPD: Area teenager arrested as
suspect in 2013 attempted murder
January 21, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A Santa Paula teenager was arrested Friday as the suspect in a 2013 attempted murder that occurred on his 18th birthday - so if Alberto Perez is tried on the charges it will be as an adult.
According to Ventura County Sheriff Det. Jarrod Foote, “after a lengthy investigation” the now-19-year-old Perez was taken into custody January 16 by VCSD and Santa Paula Police gang detectives in connection with two local shooting incidents.
The shootings occurred September 20 and September 21 of 2013 and by the next day SPPD Investigators had developed evidence that Perez, a member of a local criminal street gang, was involved.
According to Foote, the SPPD searched Perez’s home on September 22, 2013 and found evidence linking him to the shootings but not a firearm that could be connected to the incidents.
The suspect, stated Foote, was not at home during the time of the search.
Although Perez was arrested September 23, 2013 in a Ventura County courtroom where he was appearing on an unrelated charge, a criminal complaint was not filed in order to give authorities enough time to investigate both shootings. He was released two days later.
Last year, on May 30, members of the VCSD Gang Unit executed a warrant at a Santa Paula residence linked to Perez and during the search a .45 caliber handgun was located and seized.
“Forensic evidence,” noted Foote, “linked the handgun to the shooting,” and additional evidence obtained during the search linked the gun to Perez.
In October 2014 Perez had been stopped and arrested by the SPPD on suspicion of multiple crimes following a traffic violation; the red truck Perez was driving contained a handgun.
At the time Perez was on active Ventura County probation for narcotics violations and was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
Methamphetamine was also recovered from the vehicle that Perez was driving without a valid license.
Following that October 2014 stop Perez was arrested for suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, simultaneous possession of a controlled substance and firearm, felony possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a loaded firearm in public, possession of a loaded firearm in public by a gang member, removal of mark or identification (serial number) from firearm, prohibited transfer/sale of a firearm, and driving a motor vehicle while unlicensed.
On Friday, Perez was booked into Ventura County - his bail was set at $2 million - and he is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, January 21.
