MORGAN HILL
– In what is believed to be South County’s largest drug bust of
the year, law enforcement officials last week confiscated a
quarter-pound of methamphetamine, a cache of drug production
materials and a stockpile of loaded firearms from the Morgan Hill
home of a reputed Hell’s Angels member.
MORGAN HILL – In what is believed to be South County’s largest drug bust of the year, law enforcement officials last week confiscated a quarter-pound of methamphetamine, a cache of drug production materials and a stockpile of loaded firearms from the Morgan Hill home of a reputed Hell’s Angels member.
A Gilroy man and another suspect were also arrested in the bust, but not before a futile getaway attempt by two suspects resulted in two separate vehicle accidents with civilian motorists.
Morgan Hill’s Albert Solis, 30, is now being held in county jail on $1 million bail and is being charged with 10 felonies including drug sales, drug production, resisting arrest and possession of illegal firearms.
David Esquivel, a 31-year old from the 9300 block of Hirasaki Drive in Gilroy, was arrested in the bust for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine for sales. Solis’ mother, 54-year-old Maria D. Solis of Morgan Hill, was arrested for possession of an illegal assault rifle. Both Esquivel and Maria Solis have posted bail.
“We don’t know if (Solis) was producing meth at his home or close by,” said Robert Mecir, commander of the Santa Clara County Specialized Enforcement Team that led the effort to stake out the home Albert Solis and his mother shared at 130 Mathilda Court. “He was what we classify as a mid-level dealer, but the amount of weapons and paraphernalia we found at the home is far from typical.”
At least a dozen officers from five local law agencies found a loaded Tech 9 assault rifle, a loaded SKS assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, two handguns, numerous rounds of ammunition and a bulletproof vest at the Solis’ Morgan Hill home. Both of the assault rifles and the shotgun were stored under Maria Solis’ bed, leading to the charges against her, Mecir said.
Officers also found red phosphorus chemicals used in methamphetamine production, several mixing agents, scales, chemical-stained lab gloves and $2,100 in cash at the home.
Police also searched Albert Solis’ other home in Sunnyvale, which revealed more scales used to weigh drugs and Hell’s Angels paraphernalia.
Maria Solis was arrested at her home, but Albert Solis and Esquivel were apprehended during an alleged drug exchange in a parking lot near Cochrane Road and Madrone Parkway in Morgan Hill, Mecir said.
Police agents said Albert Solis immediately tried to flee when they approached his car around 2 p.m. Thursday. Albert Solis drove in reverse and hit two civilian vehicles before a police vehicle was able to block his path. Both Solis and Esquivel were then arrested.
One-quarter pound of methamphetamine worth $2,400 in street value, a scale and more than $5,000 of cash were found in the car.
Neither of the men were armed at the time of their arrest, but Esquivel’s Gilroy home in the 9300 block of Hirasaki Drive was later searched and yielded seven grams of methamphetamine and several scales.
“We consider this a big bust for us because meth has become such an epidemic in the area,” Mecir said. “Nobody wants someone mixing these types of chemicals in your neighborhood.”
Albert Solis will go before a county judge Friday afternoon in San Jose to make his plea. He previously served time in prison for felony burglary, and now faces nearly 20 years in prison for the 10 felony charges against him, according to Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney Tom Fahrenholz.
