Sheriff's Detectives Recover Stash of Stolen Guns

Santa Barbara - August 18th, 2010

Santa Barbara Sheriff’s detectives have arrested two men and recovered dozens of guns following the burglary of a home in the unincorporated Goleta area.

On Tuesday, August 3, 2010 Sheriff’s detectives were notified that someone had broken into a home on the 4600 block of Atasco Drive. The occupant of the house had passed away one month earlier and the ownership of the home was in the process of being transferred.

The investigation revealed that a large gun safe have been taken from the garage of the home sometime between July 9, 2010 and August 3, 2010. Further investigation led detectives to a neighbor, Joe Luis Lopez, who they suspect moved the safe to his home next door before taking it to another location.

At approximately 9:00pm on Tuesday, August 17, 2010, Sheriff’s detectives and one agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) served a search warrant at a home on the 5000 block of Ella Lane. The search turned up nearly three dozen firearms with at least 30 guns directly linked to the burglary on Atasco Drive. The safe was located at another location.

Joe Luis Lopez (DOB9/26/68) was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on August 18, 2010 for felony residential Burglary (459 PC), felony Possession of a Controlled Substance (11350(A) HS and 11377 (A) HS), and misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (11364 HS). Bail is set at $50,000.

Detectives also arrested James Allan Dunning (DOB 7/18/74) who lives at the Ella Lane home. He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail for being Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance (11550 (A) HS), Felony Possession of Stolen Property (496 PC), Felony Possession and/or Sale of Assault weapons (12280(a)1), and Felony Possession of a Deadly Weapon (12020 PC). Bail was set at $50,000.00. 

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please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.

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EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org