suspects in s tearns Wharf shooting to be arraigned today

By NEIL HARTSTEIN

NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Three alleged juvenile gang associates from Ventura County will be arraigned today on charges connected to the Dec. 9 fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf who was allegedly caught in the middle of a crossfire between them and rival Santa Barbara gang associates.

Over the weekend, Mayor Randy Rowse issued a statement denouncing the shooting and those involved, and praising police for their hard work apprehending the accused participants.

“The crime committed on Stearns

Wharf in December was horrific, random and senseless,” Mayor Rowse said. “This tragic act cost the life of an innocent bystander who, as we understand it now, was enjoying our city as a visitor. This is absolutely unacceptable. The level of crime of any kind that can be tolerated is zero, but this event was particularly heinous.

“The police work involved to investigate this crime was performed in a deliberate, precise way and resulted in the identification and arrests of seven suspects,” he added. “These actors are now off of our streets and facing the full measure of the law. The thorough and patient procedures followed by our law enforcement personnel, while criticized by some, will help to ensure that the victim’s loved ones can begin to receive some closure.”

Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch announced Friday that three juveniles had been charged in connection with the killing of Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo, that occurred at Stearns Wharf on Dec. 9.

Two of the three juveniles, both 15, have been charged with murder in connection with the slaying, with the special allegation that they “discharged a firearm proximately causing death.”

The third juvenile, 16, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder, and with illegal possession of an unregistered firearm.

The three juveniles remain in custody and are scheduled to be arraigned today at the Santa Maria Juvenile Court.

The three juveniles were arrested by Santa Barbara Police Department officers on Thursday. Their arrests were the result of an intense police investigation to identify and bring to justice additional suspects following the Jan. 19 arrest of four adult suspects in Santa Barbara who allegedly were involved in the slaying, Lt. Kasi Corbett said. Santa Barbara Police, assisted by several outside agencies, served search