Citizens offer tips on brothers arrested for suspicion of drug sales

February 03, 2010
Santa Paula Police Department

Santa Paula Police arrested two men who allegedly were dealing in narcotics after concerned citizens reported suspicious activity at the brothers’ Yale Street apartment.


According to Sergeant Ish Cordero, on Friday, January 29 at approximately 12:30 p.m., Santa Paula officers served a signed narcotic search warrant at 739 Yale St #2B. The warrant was obtained after an investigation was conducted regarding the sales of narcotics being conducted by two brothers at that location. 

The suspects, who were arrested without incident, were identified as 55-year-old Mario Rivera Robles and his brother Hector Robles, 48. The Santa Paula Police Crime Suppression Team had initiated the investigation after information was obtained regarding the sales of narcotics.

“We’ve had bits and pieces of information for awhile,” said Cordero, until “finally we were able to start doing something with these guys. We were watching them here and there and were able to make a case when we had enough information and proof.”

Concerned citizens, he added, had supplied the information that was confirmed after officers observed the suspects doing transactions on the streets and surveillance at their studio apartment residence. As a result, a narcotics search warrant was obtained. A search of the residence yielded an amount of narcotics, “six balloons of heroin,” said Cordero, narcotic paraphernalia, and packaging materials for the purpose of sales. 

Both suspects, Mario and Hector, were found to be under the influence of heroin. Cordero said they were arrested and transported to Santa Paula Police Station, where they were booked, each on charges of being under the influence of heroin, possession of heroin for sales, possession of heroin, possession of narcotic paraphernalia and possession of medications not prescribed to either. 

“Hector Robles was additionally charged for committing a felony while out on bail” as, said Cordero, “he was recently arrested by CHP officers for possession of quite a bit of heroin for sale” and was under bail for the offense. 

The “one who took the blame is Hector Robles,” Cordero said. “He was not the primary person we wanted, but we also wanted him... and we’ll take them all.” The brothers’ uncle, Phillip Rivera, who is not a city resident, was also arrested by the SPPD about a month ago. Due to Hector Robles’s bail status, SPPD will attempt to add an additional charge.

“The SPPD wants to thank the public,” Cordero said, for their help in the investigation. “We get so much information all the time” and all tips are investigated, although “some don’t work out” and result in arrest. “But we store all the information if we’re not able to put a case together right then and there, and then we use it as a history on this person.”

With such information and history, the next time the SPPD receives a tip it shows a pattern. “Then that leads to the probable cause for search warrants or to make an arrest.”

Cordero encouraged citizens to continue to report suspicious activity: “We do what we can do with the resources we have... this particular case worked out, but on others we don’t give up, we keep going and going.... No tip,” he added, “goes unchecked.”





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