3 People from Soledad Busted for Burglary in Salinas and Other Charges

On March 22, 2023, and March 23, 2023, 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, Salinas CA. 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, 2023, 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, Soledad CA at which time they determined a male, identified as 45-year-old Jose Gonzales, was on probation and residing at the residence. Jose Gonzales and another male, identified as 46-year-old Gabriel Trujillo, were seen exiting the residence and entering the vehicle associated to the burglaries. Detectives contacted Gonzales and Trujillo at which 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 being were recovered. Jose 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. Gabriel 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.

On April 18, 2023, Detectives with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office conducted another probation search at Jose Gonzales’ residence due to further investigation on this matter in an attempt to locate Jose Gonzales and 29-year-old Guadalupe Padilla. 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, Jose Gonzales was located hiding from Detectives underneath a bed. He and Guadalupe 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. Gonzales and Padilla were both housed at the Monterey County Jail.