In an early morning sweep on January 28th, Fontana deputies encountered more than just an empty, red-tagged home. The Fontana Sheriff’s Station reported that Deputy Nunez, during a routine security check, found the lights on within the off-limits domain and stumbled upon Angel Garcia, a 62-year-old Bloomington local with a history dotted with narcotic offenses. While conducting his search, Nunez discovered drug-related paraphernalia and what was suspected to be methamphetamine among Garcia's possessions, according to the SBSD Fontana Sheriff's Department.
Operating under the newly minted Proposition 36, known formally as “The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act,” Garcia was promptly booked on felony charges for possessing a controlled substance. As the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department highlighted, Proposition 36, which took effect last December, is a direct reform to the previously enacted Proposition 47. These amendments are hoped to reduce the increase in homelessness, drug addiction, and theft. Found inside the residence he was not supposed to inhabit, Garcia now faces consequences brought forth by the new penal code, one that tightly grips those with prior offenses, not allowing them the possibility of release before a court appearance.
Garcia's detainment at the vacant property, located on the 18100 block of 10th Street, has propelled him back into a system that has seen his name before. With the proposition's guidelines, his past clings to him, notably affecting the severity of his arrest. He was transported to West Valley Detention Center, where he was booked for HS 11395(b)(1), as per the SBSD Fontana Sheriff's Department. The Fontana Sheriff’s Station is calling for any individuals with additional information to step forward, offering anonymity through the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or their website at www.wetip.com.
