Suspected cocaine dealer in jail

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

After a month-long investigation, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a man who they say is a longtime, high level cocaine dealer.

Sheriff officials say the investigation came to a head on Aug. 30, when they took 52-year-old Robert Carlton Lavilette into custody after seizing two kilograms of cocaine and $54,000 in cash from his home at 2756 Painted Cave Rd.
Sgt. Erik Raney, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department, said detectives became aware that Lavilette was involved in narcotics trafficking in July.
However, Raney said Lavilette was arrested in 1995 and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on narcotics related charges.
Raney said he wasn’t sure how long or how well-embedded Lavilette is in the community, but noted that retired chief deputies in the department investigated Lavilette during their time in the department.
Raney said Lavilette was charged with possession of narcotics for sales and bail was set at $500,000. He said he was unsure as to the street value of the seized cocaine, but similar sized narcotics seizures in other states put the total around $200,000.
Raney said California law allows law enforcement to seize property and possessions owned by Lavilette if they were purchased with proceeds from drug sales. He said asset forfeiture proceedings are separate from criminal proceedings.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office posted a lien on Lavilette’s home as part of the ongoing asset seizure investigation. Raney said $140,000 was seized from various bank accounts belonging to Lavilette as well.
Raney said a portion of the proceeds from the seized money and property will be allocated to support the DARE and other programs and classes dedicated to divert gang and drug activity.
Raney said the delay in announcing Lavillete’s arrest was the result of the ongoing investigation. He said portions of the asset forfeiture investigation are ongoing.