Cannabis Compliance Team Arrests Suspect for Illegal Drugs

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

On Thursday, June 16, 2022, the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office Cannabis Compliance Team concluded an investigation into a subject selling marijuana illegally in Orcutt and the surrounding area. 

Detectives served a search warrant at the suspect’s house in the City of Santa Maria where the suspect, identified as twenty-year-old Nathan Mediano, was arrested without incident.  Nathan’s brother, thirty-three-year-old Salvador Mediano was linked to the crimes and was also arrested without incident. 

During a search of the Mediano’s residence, detectives located over two ounces of cocaine, over 2,000 M30 pills (frequently containing fentanyl), over $5,000 in cash and a short-barreled, illegally possessed assault weapon with high-capacity magazines and ammunition.  Both Nathan and Salvador Mediano were booked in the Northern Branch Jail on $100,000 bail.

The Santa Barbara County Cannabis Compliance Team was founded in June of 2018 and consists of personnel from many disciplines within a variety of county departments.  The team primarily focuses on unlicensed and illegal cannabis operations within the county and the safety of the public. Following the approval of Proposition 64, recreational marijuana is legal.  However, the law requires any person or business selling or providing marijuana to be licensed through the State of California to ensure the sale of approved and tested cannabis products with regulated and identified THC content. 

Additionally, the County of Santa Barbara requires that cannabis businesses must possess local land use permits and local business licenses if the operations are in the unincorporated parts of the county. More information on the state licensing and testing process can be found on the CalCannabis or Bureau of Cannabis Control websites.  For information on local permitting and licensing, please visit cannabis.countyofsb.org.

Update by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

Nathan Mediano was booked on the following charges: sale of a controlled substance, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11352, sale of marijuana, a violation of 11359 H&S, possession of a controlled substance for sale, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11351 and transportation of marijuana, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11360. 
 
Salvador Mediano was booked on the following charges: possession of a controlled substance for sale, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11351, possession of a controlled substance while armed, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11370.1(a), felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of Penal Code section 29800(a)(1), possession of ammunition by a felon, a violation of Penal Code section 30305(a), possession of an illegal assault weapon, a violation of Penal Code section 30605 and possession of a short barreled rifle, a violation of Penal Code section 33210.