An alleged Santa Clarita drug house raided in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 9th, resulted in two arrests. The home located in Saugus had been the subject of numerous complaints from nearby residents and had been raided once before.
During the raid, investigators did not find any drugs, but they did find drug paraphernalia, and one suspect was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs. The other suspect, a 75-year-old woman who suffers from MS, was arrested under suspicion of running a drug house. Police say that the home is frequented by heroin and meth users.
Running a drug house is covered under California Health and Safety Code 11366 HS and makes it illegal to operate or maintain any place for the purpose of selling or giving away illegal controlled substances. Most of the time, the “place” is either a home or apartment, but the wording of the law means that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a permanent dwelling. A person can be charged with violating 11366 HS by using a motel room, hotel room, or other type of structure, provided that it was obtained and maintained for the purpose of selling or giving away illegal controlled substances.
Another important factor in being charged with violating 11366 HS is that the place must be used for other people to use illegal controlled substances. If someone were to maintain a place for their own drug use, they would not be guilty of violating 11366 HS.
Health and Safety Code 11366 HS is a “wobbler” in California, meaning that it can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. If charged as a misdemeanor, the possible penalties include up to 1 year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000. If charged as a felony, the possible penalties include 16 months to 3 years in California state prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
