Full Notification

Juan Carlos Herrera Romero, age 30, was arrested for the crimes of rape in concert with another by force or violence and oral copulation in concert with another. Gabino Andres Grande Romero, age 26, was also arrested for the crime of rape in concert with another by force or violence. Both men are cousins and reside in Santa Barbara. Their arrests stem from the sexual assault of a 62-year old homeless woman on East Beach adjacent to 600 E. Cabrillo Boulevard during the early morning hours of July 16, 2014.

On July 16, 2014 at 3:53 a.m., officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department responded to the lobby of the Doubletree Resort located at 633 E. Cabrillo Boulevard to contact the aforementioned victim who had entered the hotel lobby and informed staff that she had just been sexually assaulted. Investigation revealed the following. Juan Romero and Gabino Romero spent the evening of July 15, 2014 fishing on Stearns Wharf where they consumed beers and discussed finding a homeless woman to sexually assault. They set out to find a victim and several hours later encountered the aforementioned woman camping on the beach with a 69-year old male companion. While brandishing a knife Juan Romero and Gabino Romero physically subdued the two subjects and took turns sexually assaulting the woman.

The investigating patrol officers located the crime scene on the beach, arranged for a forensic medical examination of the sexual assault victim, and put her in contact with an advocate from the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. By 5:15 a.m. several detectives from the SBPD Crimes Against Persons Unit had been called in and assigned to conduct follow-up investigation, and by early afternoon they had identified Juan Romero as one of the suspects in this case. At 3:17 p.m. they located him working at a construction site on the 800 block of Picacho Lane in Montecito and arrested him. By late afternoon the detectives had identified Gabino Romero as the other suspect in this case. At 9:00 p.m. officers from the SBPD Criminal Impact Team observed Gabino Romero driving on the 2600 block of Las Positas Road, initiated a traffic stop, and arrested him. Searches were subsequently conducted at Juan Romero’s residence on the 1100 block of Indio Muerto Street and Gabino Romero’s residence on the 3400 block of Richland Drive.

Juan Romero and Gabino Romero were booked at Santa Barbara County Jail on the aforementioned charges, each with a bail amount of $250,000.00.

Pictured: Juan Romero, top; Gabino Romero, bottom.