By Angelina Sang
SANTA BARBARA, CA – Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Raimundo J. Montes de Oca Tuesday revoked the probation of a veteran with a long history of serious criminal activity and set $50,000 bail—in response, the military vet chastised the judge, throwing his headphones in his cell.
The accused faced several felony charges, including hate crimes and battery that allegedly occurred just a day after his Veterans Treatment Court Review.
The accused’s criminal history in the Santa Barbara and Ventura area dates back to 1998. He’s been consistently convicted of numerous crimes ranging from injuring his partner to repeated drunk driving charges. The accused has entered a not guilty plea to his most recent felony charges.
Nevertheless, the accused’s lawyer, Robert Dahlstedt. told the judge he would like to be heard regarding his client’s release, but Judge Montes de Oca responded by revoking the accused’s probation and setting the bail for the accused’s alleged felony charges at $50,000.
“I have represented [the accused]. He has been in Veterans Treatment Court I believe for over a year now,” said Dahlstedt. “I ask that you set bail at a lot less than $50,000. That is just out of reach for him and he might have a chance to bail if it’s less than that.”
The defense attorney explained how the accused’s housing is arranged by the treatment court and the accused has attended all his scheduled classes at the treatment center.
According to a Veterans Treatment Court press release, the sanctuary “promotes sobriety, recovery and stability for veterans of Santa Barbara County by establishing a viable option for a select group of veterans whose needs are better met through treatment than incarceration.”
Judge Montes de Oca refused to lower the $50,000 bail, noting the accused’s warrant out of Ventura and the fact that the accused’s felony charges were allegedly committed just a day after he last appeared in court.
“Though he may, at least on that day [6/29], have been doing well, you certainly can’t say that was the case on 6/30, the day this alleged offense occurred,” said Judge Montes de Oca.
“You’re ruining everything I went for,” the accused commented in response to his pricey bail and revoked probation. The accused was seen on Zoom standing up, tearing off his headphones and throwing them to the ground of his cell.
The case will be moved to a new department to reconvene on July 12.
