Ventura Gang Members Arrested in Carpinteria

Santa Barbara Sheriff’s deputies arrested Martin Trujillo and Anthony Gomez in Carpinteria on Monday after the two reportedly stole a vehicle from a Ventura home they burglarized last week. Trujillo, 30, and Gomez, 35, are known Ventura gang members, said Sheriff’s spokesperson Kelly Hoover.

Authorities spotted the stolen car at the 7-Eleven on the 4400 block of Via Real late Monday afternoon, and the men ran away upon exiting the market. The Sheriff’s Office — deputies, an air support unit, and two K-9 units — spent more than an hour looking for the men. A nearby resident then called in and said that the two asked to use her phone; deputies found Trujillo and Gomez in the resident’s apartment complex. Trujillo was injured by one of the dogs during the arrest, and an officer suffered minor injuries, too, Hoover said.

Both men, who each had pending arrest warrants, were charged with gang enhancements. Trujillo also faces charges of felony resisting arrest with an injury, possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Gomez faces counts of resisting arrest and possession of a stolen vehicle. A shotgun stolen from the Ventura home, Hoover said, was among other items found in the car.