Full Notification

At approximately 1:30 a.m. on January 18, Sheriff’s Deputies with the Isla Vista Foot Patrol and Officers with the University of California Police Department (UCPD) responded to the area of Sabado Tarde and Camino Pescadero to a report of a theft that had just occurred at a local convenience store. They contacted a group which included three young males who were walking in the area and matched the descriptions of the suspects. One of the subjects, a 15 year old male from Oxnard, was identified as being the suspect who shoplifted from the store and was arrested.

About the same time, a citizen flagged down a UCPD Officer in the area of Picasso Road and Camino Pescadero to report that he had witnessed a woman being sexually assaulted in the 6500 block of Sabado Tarde. The citizen identified the same suspects who were involved in the petty theft case as being involved with the sexual assault.

The subjects were detained and Sheriff’s Detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division responded to assist with the case. The investigation led to the arrest of all three suspects for Rape in Concert (264.1 PC) which is charged when two or more people act together to commit rape and/or other sexual assaults. The individuals arrested include the 15 year old juvenile from Oxnard, as well as 22 year old Casey Avila of Santa Barbara and 18 year old Charles Dunbar of Santa Barbara.

The victim, an 18 year old UCSB student, was transported to the hospital where she was treated and released several hours later. The case is under investigation and no further details are available at this time.

If you have further information on this crime, you are asked to call the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division at (805) 681-4150 or you can leave an anonymous tip at (805) 681-4171.