SANTA PAULA, Calif. — A late-night patrol response to an isolated area west of Santa Paula resulted in the seizure of a loaded handgun, illegal narcotics, and the arrest of an 18-year-old gang-affiliated suspect, law enforcement officials reported.
Click here to view the official Fillmore Police Department Instagram post regarding the firearm and narcotics arrest.
The enforcement action was conducted by patrol deputies assigned to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Fillmore Station.
Authorities identified the primary suspect as 18-year-old Efren Bracamontes Jr., a resident of Santa Paula.
The incident began at approximately 12:21 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in the 700 block of Aguacate Loop, located in an unincorporated rural area west of Santa Paula city limits.
Late-Night Contact, Vehicle Search, and Handgun Recovery
According to an official incident release issued by the Fillmore Police Department and Ventura County Sheriff's Office, patrol deputies checked on a group of individuals consisting of several teenagers and an adult drinking alcohol in the remote neighborhood.
Investigators noted that all individuals contacted at the scene had established ties to a localized Santa Paula criminal street gang.
During a search of a motor vehicle associated with the group, deputies discovered alcoholic beverages, a quantity of an illicit controlled substance, and a loaded semi-automatic handgun concealed inside the cabin.
Charges Filed, Jail Booking, and Subsequent Search Warrant
Bracamontes was taken into custody on scene without incident. The three accompanying teenagers were arrested for underage alcohol-related offenses.
Bracamontes was transported to the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura and booked on multiple felony firearm and narcotics charges:
- PC § 25850(a): Carrying a Loaded Handgun Inside a Vehicle (Felony)
- PC § 27545: Unlawful Firearm Transfer (Felony)
- HS § 11370.1(a): Possession of a Controlled Substance While Armed with a Loaded Firearm (Felony)
Bracamontes was subsequently released from custody after posting required bail.
Following up on the initial arrest, detectives with the Fillmore Detective Unit obtained a search warrant for Bracamontes’ residence in Santa Paula. On Friday, October 2, 2026, Fillmore detectives served the search warrant with tactical assistance from the West County Special Enforcement Unit (SEU).
"Patrol deputies from the Sheriff’s Fillmore Station contacted several teenagers and an adult drinking in the 700 block of Aguacate Loop... All the subjects had ties to a Santa Paula criminal street gang," the Fillmore Police Department stated in an official advisory.
"During their initial investigation, patrol deputies located alcohol, a controlled substance, and a loaded handgun inside the vehicle associated with the teenagers... Efren Bracamontes Jr. [was] arrested," law enforcement representatives added.
Community members with additional information regarding gang activity or illegal firearms in the Fillmore and Santa Paula areas are encouraged to contact the Fillmore Police Department at (805) 524-2233. Official social media updates are published on the Fillmore Police Department Instagram Page. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).