SANTA MARIA, CA — October 26, 2026 — A citizen’s report of two armed men driving through Santa Maria prompted a police search that resulted in the arrest of two known gang members and the discovery of two loaded firearms inside their vehicle.
According to Santa Maria Police Department spokesman Sgt. Erik Hesch, officers were alerted shortly after noon Oct. 22 that two men believed to be armed were traveling through the city.
Within an hour, a traffic officer spotted a vehicle believed to be associated with the suspects, Hesch said. Patrol officers conducted a traffic stop and contacted Santa Maria residents Manuel Sanchez, 26, and Fabian Ugo, 19.
Both men are known to law enforcement as documented gang members, according to police.
Officers searched the men and their vehicle, citing their documented gang affiliations as probable cause. During the search, police discovered two loaded semiautomatic firearms inside the vehicle.
Both men were on active probation and legally prohibited from possessing firearms, according to police.
Sanchez and Ugo were arrested and transported to the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail, where they were booked on multiple firearms-related charges.
– by F. Scott Faulkner
Headline Photo: Stock Image
Firearm Photo(s) courtesy of Santa Maria Police Department
