Sheriff seizes drugs from child's 'sippy cup'

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

During a search of a Carpinteria man’s home, Sheriff officials say they seized nine grams of cocaine and 16 grams of methamphetamine, some of which was found hidden in a child’s “sippy cup.”
Sgt. Erik Raney, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, said the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Israel Lara Gutierrez, was residing with his wife and three children ages 3, 10 and 11, when the search occurred last Wednesday.

Raney said 11 additional children ages three months to 16 were found at a daycare facility located in the same building. He said the daycare facility did not share any space or a common door with the Gutierrez residence.
Due to the proximity of the drugs to Gutierrez’s children, Raney said he was booked into county jail for suspected narcotics dealing and felony child endangerment.
“Suspected cocaine and methamphetamine were found in various locations throughout the home,” Raney said. “All accessible to Gutierrez’s children.”
Raney said detectives also seized $1,100 in cash from the Gutierrez home as well as scales, packaging material and other items associated with the sale of narcotics.
He said Child Welfare Services reported to the scene, evaluated the welfare of the children and ultimately left them in the care of the mother.
Raney said if the mother had known about the drugs and their availability to her children, she too could have been charged with felony child endangerment, but that wasn’t the case.
“Our investigation determined that she was not a part of the narcotics dealing,” Raney said.
Raney said he does not know if the day care facility is properly registered with the county, but said it was unmistakably organized like a daycare facility.