TYPE OF INCIDENT:      San Diego County’s motel voucher program for homeless harboring criminals and fugitives in El Cajon

LOCATION OF INCIDENT:      El Cajon, CA

RESUME OF INCIDENT:

After reviewing arrest records related to the County’s motel voucher program, the El Cajon Police Department discovered a number of those arrested were using the program and had extensive criminal histories or were fugitives with felony arrest warrants.

In June of this year, Eugene Brown (59 years old) and Catherine Sweetser (53 years old) were arrested at one of the motels in El Cajon, using the County’s motel vouchers. El Cajon Police Officers searched the room and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, drug scales, and drug packaging materials. At the time of their arrests, Brown had a felony arrest warrant for drug sales and Sweetser had a felony arrest warrant for child endangerment and felony DUI.

Louis Bono (54 years old) was arrested at another motel using a County voucher. Bono’s room contained a large amount of methamphetamine, drug scales, and drug packaging materials. He was arrested for possession of drugs for sale, and at the time of his arrest, Bono was on bail for a drug sales arrest a month prior. Bono has an extensive drug-related arrest record dating back to 2015.

A few weeks later, Bono was again arrested for possession of dangerous drugs using the County’s motel voucher program at yet another motel in El Cajon. Last month, Bono was arrested a third time for narcotic sales, still using the program which brought him back to El Cajon.

Last month, Efren Sartuche (35 years old) was found and arrested as a fugitive and had a felony warrant for firearms-related offenses.  He was also staying in El Cajon using County motel vouchers. 

“The number of criminal drug dealers and fugitives using the County’s motel voucher program is disturbing,” Police Chief Mike Moulton said, “Community safety is my primary concern and the El Cajon Police Department is more than willing to assist the County with better ways of vetting those utilizing their program, if that’s what’s needed.”

PREPARED BY:  Lt. Randy Soulard

DIVISION:  Public Information Officer

DATE AND TIME:  09/20/22 @ 2:30pm

REVIEWED BY:  Michael Moulton, Chief of Police