Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested three individuals following a report of suspicious activity at the Home Depot on Marketplace Drive. A customer contacted law enforcement after observing two men in a parked blue Jeep Cherokee put on ski masks and crouch down, while a third person entered the store.
Deputies responded and approached the vehicle. The occupants, identified as 26-year-old Malik Brown Asad from Santa Barbara and 37-year-old Nicholas Christopher Dudley from Los Angeles, were ordered out of the car. According to deputies, both men did not cooperate during their interaction with law enforcement.
When removing Dudley from the vehicle, deputies saw Asad making movements that appeared to be attempts to hide something in his lap. They then observed a loaded handgun in Asad’s possession. “Asad was held at gunpoint until the firearm, which was loaded, was safely secured,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
During their investigation, deputies found Dudley had fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Asad was found with fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and items indicating possible drug sales.
Inside Home Depot, deputies located and detained the third suspect seen leaving the vehicle earlier. He was identified as 46-year-old Ryan Anthony Hammond from Summerland and found with fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.
All three suspects were booked into Main Jail. “Asad was booked for felonies including carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a controlled substance, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance while armed, and prohibited person in possession of a firearm as well as misdemeanor drug charges. He is being held on $50,000 bail.” The statement continued: “Dudley and Hammond were booked for misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia and have been cite released.”
The Sheriff’s Office expressed appreciation for community involvement in reporting suspicious behavior: “The Sheriff’s Office would like to commend the reporting party for being an excellent witness and for doing the right thing by promptly notifying law enforcement. Their awareness and willingness to report suspicious activity played an important role in this investigation.”
Santa Barbara County operates through several departments such as public health and social services under oversight from its five-member Board of Supervisors. The county encourages resident participation through public meetings and maintains openness by providing access to government records via its official website. Established in 1850 as one of California’s original counties with headquarters in Santa Barbara https://www.countyofsb.org/, it serves residents across both northern and southern regions https://www.countyofsb.org/.
