Full Notification

Thursday, March 30, 2023
Case #SMPD23-0003416
On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at approximately 12:41 AM, SMPD patrol officers were sent to the 900 block of E. Jones Street regarding a robbery that had just occurred. Officers responded and located three adult victims of robbery.

Two victims reported being physically assaulted before personal property was forcibly taken from them by the suspects (small group of juveniles and/or young adults). During the commission of the crime, one of the suspects brandished a firearm. The suspects left the area in a vehicle that collided with a parked vehicle while fleeing the scene.

Patrol officers’ investigation led to a suspect vehicle being identified. At approximately 1:14 AM, officers located and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, 19-year-old Saul Dolores Morelos, was ultimately arrested on Conspiracy & Robbery related charges. Dolores Morelos was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail. Vehicle damage to the suspect vehicle was also tied to the parked vehicle that was hit while fleeing the scene.

On March 29, 2023, SMPD Detective Cole Whitney conducted a subsequent follow-up investigation that led to Saul Dolores Morelos being identified as an additional suspect in the January 30, 2023, Carjacking. This case was previously covered in the news brief below distributed by the SMPD on March 27, 2023. Dolores Morelos was booked on additional charges (Carjacking) in connection to the January 30, 2023, incident (Case #SMPD23-0001077).

Anyone with further information related to any of these investigations is encouraged to contact Detective Whitney at (805) 928 – 3781 ext. 1329 or the SMPD Communications Center at ext. 2277.

Prepared by:

Daniel Rios, Sergeant II
Detective Bureau Supervisor

 
ORIGINAL NEWS BRIEF – Monday, March 27, 2023
Case #SMPD23-0000875 1/25/23 & #SMPD23-0001077 1/30/23
On Sunday, March 26, 2023, at about 11:00 PM, the Santa Maria Police Department's Detective Bureau with assistance from the Santa Maria Police Department's SWAT Team served search and arrest warrants at a residence in the 1200 block of W. Bethel Lane. This was a result of an ongoing investigation by detectives related to two armed carjackings that occurred in the City of Santa Maria.

On January 25, 2023, and January 30, 2023, two separate armed carjackings occurred in which investigators identified a 17-year-old male juvenile and known gang member as the primary suspect. The 17-year-old juvenile suspect was taken into custody during the execution of the warrant service without incident.

Due to the suspect being a minor, his identity is not being released. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall on the following charges:

PC 215 - Carjacking (2 counts)
PC 594 - Vandalism
PC 186.22 - Gang Enhancement


Prepared by:

Daniel Rios, Sergeant II
Detective Bureau Supervisor