Santa Clara bust nets 13 pounds of meth

The Santa Clara Police Department announced Tuesday that one of the largest methamphetamine busts in the department’s history took place last week in a hotel parking lot.

The Aug. 23 bust resulted in the arrests of two men and the discovery of 17 pounds of meth, a handgun and $28,254 in cash, according to police.

Santa Clara police said special enforcement team detectives were in the area of The Alameda and University Avenue conducting surveillance when they observed Rogelio Sanchez Perez, who they were looking for in connection with outstanding felony warrants, entering and exiting a hotel room.

At some time, police said, the other suspect, Guillermo Velasquez Ortiz, entered the hotel room to join Perez. Both men subsequently left the hotel room with Perez carrying a white shopping bag, police said. That’s when police said they moved in to apprehend Perez.

Perez, a 44-year-old San Jose resident, was arrested on suspicion of a parole violation, having two felony warrants, being in possession and being under the influence of controlled substance for sale, being under the influence of a controlled substance while armed and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Ortiz, a 31-year-old Glendale, Ariz. resident, was arrested on suspicion of transporting narcotics for sale, being in possession of a controlled substance while armed and being in possession of a controlled substance for sale. In addition, he was wanted on three misdemeanor warrants.

Police said some of the meth was found in Ortiz’s car, and the majority of it in the hotel room – 13.8 pounds of it – along with a loaded handgun and drug paraphernalia.

Both suspects have been booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail, with Perez being held without bail and Ortize being held on a $195,000 bond. Perez will be arraigned on Thursday and Ortiz will make his next court appearance on Sept. 26.