Couple allegedly caught with mail stolen from 117 local residents

A married couple was arrested on suspicion of a host of charges including identity theft and child endangerment after they were allegedly found with drugs and mail from more than 100 local residents.

At about 10:45 p.m., San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputies received a report of a person stealing mail from a home in the Nipomo Mesa area of Arroyo Grande, a Sheriff’s Office news release said.

Deputies stopped a car matching a witness's description near Highway 1 and Halcyon Road.

They allegedly saw in plain view several pieces of opened and unopened mail. They searched the vehicle and found mail belonging to 117 people, as well as about 1.4 grams of methamphetamine, the news release said.

Jose Antonio Ramirez Jr., 35, and Angelique Ugalde Ramirez, 32, were arrested on suspicion of several felony and misdemeanor charges. The Sheriff’s Office did not know their current cities of residence.

Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla said the two are married and that their two children — ages 5 and 2 — were in the car and put in the custody of Child Welfare Services.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office’s narcotics unit then served a search warrant at a Santa Maria motel where the couple was staying, allegedly finding more stolen mail, including bank, credit card and tax statements, along with tools used for forging checks.

Cipolla said investigators also found about 7.6 grams of methamphetamine in the motel room, which he said would have been accessible to children.

Cipolla added that investigators were still working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service officials to identify all potential victims, but that most mail appeared to belong to San Luis Obispo County residents.

Jose and Angelique Ramirez were booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of felony charges of unauthorized use of personal identification to obtain credit, forgery, conspiracy, possession of stolen property and child endangerment.

Jose Ramirez additionally was held without bail on suspicion of violating probation and remained in custody Tuesday evening.

Angelique Ramirez also was charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. She remained in County Jail on Tuesday evening in lieu of $200,000 bail.

This story was originally published February 17, 2015 at 5:34 PM.