SOLEDAD — On March 22 and 23, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office deputies assigned to the Patrol Division took reports of a burglary that occurred at a residence in the 300 block of Espinosa Road in Salinas. The incidents occurred on back‐to‐back days and a vehicle of interest was seen on the property during one of the incidents.
On March 24, detectives from the Investigations Unit were conducting investigative follow‐up for the two incidents when the vehicle of interest was located in Soledad.
Detectives surveilled the vehicle until it arrived at a residence located in the 900 block of Prado Drive in Soledad, at which time they determined a male, identified as 45-year-old Jose Gonzales of Soledad, was on probation and residing at the residence.
Gonzales and another male, identified as 46-year-old Gabriel Trujillo of Soledad, were seen exiting the residence and entering the vehicle associated to the burglaries.
Detectives contacted Gonzales and Trujillo, and a probation search was conducted, searching the vehicle of interest and residence Gonzales and Trujillo had exited.
Various burglary tools, drug paraphernalia, suspected methamphetamine and stolen items confirmed to have been taken from the burglaries were recovered, deputies said.
Gonzales was arrested on charges of burglary, possession of controlled substance, child endangerment, burglary tools and felon in possession of ammunition and housed at the Monterey County Jail. Trujillo was issued a citation to appear for possession of controlled substance.
The recovered stolen items were returned to the victims from the burglaries. These items included many family heirlooms that could not be replaced, deputies said.
On April 18, detectives with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office conducted another probation search at Gonzales’ residence due to further investigation on this matter in an attempt to locate Gonzales and 29-year-old Guadalupe Padilla of Soledad.
Detectives had developed information that Gonzales and Padilla were associated to various other crimes in Monterey County as well as crimes in the Bay Area.
During the search of the residence, Gonzales was located hiding from detectives underneath a bed. He and Padilla were taken into custody for various charges that included resisting arrest, identity theft, check fraud, a felon in possession of tear gas and others. Both were taken to the Monterey County Jail.
Any member of the community with information pertaining to this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Michael Vownikel at 831‐796‐1127, or Detective Sgt. Jason Sullivan at 831‐755‐3771.
