Ventura County – Carlos Contreras, 27, Michelle McLaughlin, 26, and Lance McLaughlin, 27, were enjoying an early morning drive on August 29th when the Thousand Oaks Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit—on the lookout for a member of a local area criminal street gang who had been reported as possessing weapons and ammunition—spotted Contreras behind the wheel and conducted a straightforward traffic stop.
Carlos Contreras / Michelle McLaughlin / Lance McLaughlin
It didn’t take deputies long to determine that Contreras was in personal possession of a switchblade knife, prompting them to obtain a search warrant of the Contreras residence. The subsequent law enforcement investigation of the home proved fruitful, as deputies discovered an undisclosed amount of ammunition as well as graffiti artwork leading to the inescapable conclusion that Contreras was responsible for a two-year graffiti spree covering approximately 90 different locations throughout the local area.
According to Thousand Oaks Police Department spokesman Sgt. Dan Hawes’ report to the media, while searching the Contreras residence deputies also “located marijuana, numerous prescription narcotics, and drug paraphernalia.” Hawes went on to describe additional evidence discovered at the scene, which led deputies to the conclusion that Mr. & Mrs. McLaughlin had permitted their three children to be within reasonable access of drugs and drug paraphernalia, and had exposed them to “unsanitary living conditions” which prompted a Drug Endangered Children investigation.
All three adults were arrested on the scene, with Contreras booked into Ventura County Jail on charges of felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a switchblade knife, and graffiti vandalism, while the McLaughlins were each charged with child endangerment, possession of marijuana, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. They were booked with bail set at $50,000 each, while Contreras’ bail was set at $10,000 and the three children were placed in the protective custodial care of Ventura County Child Protective Services.
Read more:
ABC 30: Thosand Oaks investigation nets weapon, graffiti, drug, child endangerment arrests
Ventura County Star: Three arrested in Thousand Oaks on Thursday as police search home
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