Hotelier, 3 Others Held in Cocaine Sale

The general manager of the Harbortown Marina Resort Hotel in Ventura and three Los Angeles County men were arrested in connection with the sale of two kilograms of cocaine, officials said Saturday.

Mario Robert Waters, 31, is being held in Ventura County Jail on suspicion of narcotic sales. Bail for the Ventura resident has been set at $100,000, Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Nagel said.

Following a four-month investigation by Ventura and Oxnard police departments and the district attorney’s office, police arrested Waters at about 3 p.m. Friday after he allegedly delivered the drug to an undercover officer at the Olivas Park Golf Course, Ventura Police Officer Rick French said.

Waters has served as general manager to the 150-room harbor hotel for three years. His arrest came as a surprise to employees, interim General Manager Hank Pouderoyen said.

Pouderoyen said the hotel was unrelated to Waters’ arrest.

Police later arrested three other men at the hotel. They are suspected of supplying the cocaine to Waters inside a harbor-area bar, French said.

Cesar Fernandez, 59, of Los Angeles and Henry Munoz, 36, Van Nuys, are being held on suspicion of narcotic sales with bail set at $500,000 each. Carlos Alfonso Amaya, 34, of Los Angeles is being held on suspicion of the same felony charge with bail set at $100,000.

Police estimated the street value of the cocaine at $300,000, French said.