“Our victim did not have the particulars on the attack,” being unfamiliar with the neighborhood but Cordero said an investigation conducted by patrol officers and continued the following day garnered information on the identity of the suspects as well as their residences.
Further information was developed Monday and the search warrant obtained.
“We were there at 5 a.m.,” said Cordero, who noted the early hour of the warrant searches and arrests was due to the location of one home that “backs up to Grace Thille School…we did not want to jeopardize any innocent people,” by the visit of the SWAT Team, K9s and support personnel.
SPPD Officer Shane Norwood said those arrested “without incident” are all Santa Paula residents, and included Rudy Cardoza, 40, a documented gang member; Ricardo Contreras, 35, also a documented gang member; Mitchell Cardoza Jr., 18, a documented gang associate; and an unidentified 17-year-old juvenile who, “At minimum” is a gang associate.
The four were booked at Santa Paula Police Station and transported to Ventura County Main Jail where bail was set for each at $500,000.
A loaded handgun was also recovered during the warrant searches that occurred at two locations on South 11th Street.
Norwood said eyewitnesses supplied information to police during the investigation and warrant searches that also yielded “other evidence that is possibly related to the crime…”
He added that District Attorney’s Office investigators assisted police and “They were very helpful.”
