By Sahar Swaleh
SACRAMENTO – It was quite a haul, according to the Sacramento Police Dept. officers who responded to a call that led them to the Life Storage unit last May 12—where they found four weapons and more than 700 doses of narcotics, including methamphetamines, Ecstasy and marijuana.
Officers Alicia Marie Pangelinan and Paul Castaneda found defendant, Joshua Szymzcak, and his sister, Breana Saxe, at the scene. Szymzcak has been arrested prior for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in 2018, and Saxe on a misdemeanor warrant.
Saxe was inside a white Toyota Prius while Szymzcak was inside the Life Storage unit that was then searched.
“I searched the unit and found a camouflage backpack with a black Glock .22 with 10 rounds in the magazine; the chamber was empty,” Pangelinan said.
Also found were two more unregistered firearms, a disassembled rifle and a silver colt revolver with more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition. Szymzcak admitted that the firearms and ammunition all belonged to him.
In the unit, Castenada noted a bag of crystal-like substances and a Winnie-the-Pooh notepad with names and denominations, typical records kept by narcotic sellers to keep track of names and who owes them money.
The court was told the handwritten notes were not traced to either Szymzcak or Saxe.
Seven bags of substances were found, equaling about 718 doses, said the officer, indicating that the bags of narcotics were to be sold. A normal user amount is 1 to 2 grams, and they concluded that the amount of narcotics and bags was too much for any typical user to have, they said.
Another SPD representative, CCD Delaini, verified that the initial call was for brandishing and that a handgun was also found in the Toyota Prius that Saxe was in, where meth smoking pipes were also found.
When questioned about the access to the storage haul, Delaini clarified that Kenneth Temple, who has had priors, also had access as well as Saxe and Szymzcak.
Because of Szymzcak’s close proximity to the firearms, narcotics and his wallet being in the storage unit, Judge Kevin McCormick ruled there is sufficient cause to believe the defendant is guilty at the level of proof required for a preliminary hearing, and trial is to begin Oct. 5.
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