By Shady Gonzales
SANTA BARBARA, CA – Hugo Calleros appeared in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court here this week, hoping a little trouble in another county wouldn’t prevent him from being released in this county.
Calleros had been held in custody for a charge made against him on April 5, for allegedly driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
At the bail review hearing, defense attorney Mary Tuft requested Calleros be released from jail based on information that was presented during the pretrial service report that was given to the court.
Attorney Tuft briefly began listing the qualifications for Calleros’ release before Deputy District Attorney Justin Greene stated that his only issue with Calleros’ release is that Calleros has an ongoing case in Los Angeles County that involves a $17,000 DUI warrant calling for his arrest. 
DDA Justin Green described his concern that Los Angeles County would seek to arrest Calleros and, in doing so, interrupt the ongoing case in Santa Barbara County.
Defense Attorney Tuft argued that because the warrant made in Los Angeles was for a DUI that occurred in 2010, it was not likely that Los Angeles County would actively be seeking to arrest Calleros.
While the opposing attorneys maintained contrasting opinions on the expectation of arrest in Los Angeles County, Judge Raimundo Montes de Oca made the decision to release Calleros under pretrial supervision with two check-ins with the court per week.
Judge Oca stated that within 3-4 weeks, the “warrant matter may resolve itself by that time.”
Speaking directly to Calleros, who had been present from custody over zoom, Judge Oca also stated that he “did not want to put [Calleros] in a situation where he would be punished for not being in court if he is in jail somewhere else,” but highlighted the importance of the check-ins.
Defense attorney Tuft finished the hearing by presenting a not-guilty plea on behalf of Calleros for all charges—in Santa Barbara. LA County notwithstanding.
