A Ventura County crime spree has come to an end with the arrest of two men on charges ranging from armed robbery to drug trafficking, authorities reported. Identifying the suspects as Marco Antonio Gutierrez, 31, and Karl Duncan, 36, both from Thousand Oaks, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office indicated that the duo was taken into custody after evidences resulting from an extensive investigation led to a search and arrest warrant.
The saga began earlier this month when Gutierrez was accused of inflicting severe bodily harm on his girlfriend and vandalizing her vehicle on December 4, as stated in an official news release. His actions caused over $400 in damage, but he fled before the officers arrived. His rampage continued with a second act of vandalism on the same day, inflicting less than $400 in damages before once again evading the police.
Fast forward to December 16, when an armed robbery took place at a local USA Gas station on Thousand Oaks Blvd. Gutierrez, according to the investigation, emerged as a suspect. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and several major crimes and special enforcement units coordinated their efforts to track down Gutierrez.
In the operation carried out on December 21, detectives and SWAT team members served a search warrant at an apartment on E. Wilbur Ave., where they located Gutierrez and arrested him, in addition to seizing crime-related evidences. Inside the same apartment, Duncan was found and arrested for possession of controlled substances with intent to sell. "Gutierrez was booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for multiple charges including felony domestic violence and robbery," Detective Dylan Foley revealed in a news release.
Gutierrez's bail has been set at $235,000, with the arraignment scheduled for December 26. Duncan faces his own set of charges for drug possession for sales and is being held on a $50,000 bail, expecting his arraignment on the same day. Ventura County Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to further arrests in connection with these crimes, with the promise of anonymity for those who come forward with tips.
