FROM THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL:
September 22, 2004

Arrests cap downtown, park drug sting
By CATHY REDFERN
Sentinel staff writer

SANTA CRUZ — A dozen drug-dealing suspects were jailed by day’s end Monday as Santa Cruz police neared the end of a 30-day undercover operation targeting drug sales in San Lorenzo Park and on Pacific Avenue.

Police are still searching for 13 street-level marijuana dealers for whom they have warrants, Lt. Steve Clark said Tuesday.

The operation targeted the sale of marijuana, which police say is the most prevalent drug being sold in the problem spots, though heroin and methamphetamine are also available. On Pacific Avenue, the sales were made near the corner of Soquel Avenue and near the Metro Center, said Sgt. Tony Parker, who launched the program.

"I would have liked to get more, but we achieved our goal, and we’ll definitely consider doing it again," Parker said. "We want to make sure we pass on the message that downtown Santa Cruz and its parks are a place for kids, families and others, but not for drug dealers."

Arrested Monday on suspicion of selling marijuana, a felony, were Mark Kulus, 44, Kenneth Reaves, 32, Christopher Kinman, 28, Sterling King, 19, Jonathan Cothran, 19, Tazmanian Crimmins, 24, Mario Sanchez, 25, and Kenneth Botts, Michael Licata and Robert Tilman, all age 18.

Additionally, an unidentified 17-year-old girl was arrested and Ivan Usow, 29, was arrested for conspiring with others to sell drugs.

Most of those arrested have no fixed address and were selling drugs daily, police said.

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Typically, the sellers used lookouts or associates who would lead buyers to the sellers, Clark said.

Parker launched the operation after noticing brazen drug activity in the park and downtown while on patrol this summer, Clark said, adding that officers get complaints about both areas. The sting was accelerated after two recent stabbings in the park, he said.

"We wanted to make a significant number of arrests as quickly as possible due to the escalating level of violence in the park," Clark said.

Officers reported "unusual ease" in conducting the blatant sales, he said, and noticed that a group of sellers traveled back and forth between Pacific Avenue and the riverside park, selling at the park during the day and later on the avenue. Officers were able to buy drugs on Pacific Avenue during the day as well, police said.

Grant funds paid for the overtime hours, Clark said.

He noted the aesthetic damage associated with some of the dealers.

"They leave all kinds of trash behind, and I don’t know what they do to the sidewalk, but it looks like a herd of gypsies lived there when they leave," he said.

"You can be poor and you can be homeless, but it’s not OK to treat the city streets like that, and it’s not OK to sell drugs on our streets."

Contact Cathy Redfern at credfern (at) santacruzsentinel.com.