Two convicted of gang-related home invasion, burglaries in Montecito

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Two men were convicted of multiple gang-related residential burglaries and a home invasion robbery in Montecito.

On Monday, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley announced the conviction of Adolph Washington Jr, 28, of Compton and Davion Jones, 35, of Compton.

Both Washington and Jones were found guilty of home invasion robbery, two residential burglaries, street terrorism and crimes related to possession of a firearm. Jones was also convicted of carjacking, auto burglary and giving false information to a peace officer.

The incident happened on July 18, 2018, just a couple of months after the Montecito Mudslides on January 9th.

A Montecito woman was asleep in her home when she was awoken by a loud knocking on her front door.

She called 911 and took shelter in a closet in her locked bedroom. She remained on the line with the dispatcher while hiding.

During that time, three individuals invaded her residence and ransacked her home. They broke down her bedroom door and found her hiding in the closet.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's deputies arrived on scene and were quickly face-to-face with the three assailants, one of whom deputies believed was armed with a loaded firearm.

Two of the three suspects were later determined to be Compton Crips gang members and the third was a juvenile associate.

When the deputies arrived, the suspects fled out the back of the residence.

After a search for the suspects by many law enforcement agencies, they were able to find and arrest Washington and the juvenile.

With the help of Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office dogs, they were able to find the loaded firearm and clothing in a creek behind the victim's home.

The next day, a male victim reported his vehicle was carjacked on Coast Village Road.

Santa Barbara Police Department investigators were able to track the stolen car leading them to Jones, he was later identified by Sheriff's investigators as one of the participants in the home invasion robbery and burglary the prior night.

Detectives also located a car used by the suspects to travel from Compton to Santa Barbara and Goleta where additional crimes occurred.

Officers found several stolen items in the car that connected them to other residential burglaries that had occurred both in Goleta and Los Angeles.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department's investigated the case.

On Monday, a judge found that the crimes were committed in association with the Original Front Hood Compton Crips gang.

Sentencing is set for April 6.