Cocaine Seller, 10 Customers Arrested in Sheriff’s ‘Sting’

Undercover sheriff’s deputies posing first as narcotics buyers and then as street dealers arrested a cocaine seller and 10 customers in the Scottsdale Estates area of Carson, authorities said Sunday.

The area around Scottsdale South Street, from Boot Hill Lane to Cactus Lane, was targeted by narcotic deputies from the Carson, Lakewood, Lomita, Lynwood and Firestone stations.

“They did a (drug) buy and then they busted the guy they made the buy from, then conducted a sting operation” where the deputies posed and street dealers, Deputy Rafael Estrada said.

The 11 arrested included nine men and two male juveniles. They were booked on allegations ranging from possession of cocaine to sales of cocaine.

Deputies also seized a small amount of rock cocaine.

The men were booked at the Carson sheriff’s station with bail ranging from $2,500 to $20,000. One of the men was also booked for assault on a peace officer.

The two juveniles were held at the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey.

On Friday night, deputies from four stations conducted a similar operation at 26 locations in Lynwood, Estrada said.

Deputies arrested 16 people during the Lynwood operation, including 10 men, five male juveniles and one female juvenile, he said.

“The action was prompted by citizen complaints and follow-up investigation by Lynwood narcotics investigators that led to the targeting of these locations,” Estrada said.

The 10 men were booked at the Lynwood sheriff’s station and held on bail ranging from $2,500 to $5,000.

One male juvenile was booked at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. The five other juveniles were released to the custody of their parents.

Those arrested were booked for possession of rock cocaine, sales of marijuana and possession of cocaine for sale, he said.