Crime

Police raid suspected drug house in Morro Bay, arrest 6

Six suspects were arrested Wednesday in a Morro Bay drug bust, clockwise from top left are: Ralph Aschenbrenner, Acacia MacDonald, Kathryn Doepel, Paul DeFalco, John Fort and Randi Ruggles.
Six suspects were arrested Wednesday in a Morro Bay drug bust, clockwise from top left are: Ralph Aschenbrenner, Acacia MacDonald, Kathryn Doepel, Paul DeFalco, John Fort and Randi Ruggles.

Morro Bay police arrested six people on suspicion of illegal drug activity following an early-morning raid Wednesday on a residence in the 900 block of Atascadero Avenue.

The suspects taken into custody include:

  • Randi Marie Ruggles, 40, of Morro Bay
  • Ralph James Aschenbrenner, 47, of Morro Bay
  • John Leonard Fort, 33, of Morro Bay
  • Paul Raymond DeFalco, 33, of Morro Bay
  • Acacia Lee MacDonald, 30, of Morro Bay
  • Kathryn Patrice Doepel, 54, of Cayucos

The bust comes at the conclusion of a months-long Morro Bay Police Department investigation, according to a police statement.

“Upon serving the search warrant, several people were detained from within the residence and found to be under the influence of illegal narcotics and in possession of illegal narcotics,” according to police.

Police also seized methamphetamine, heroin and assorted paraphernalia.

All six suspects were taken to San Luis Obispo County Jail. Ruggles was held on suspicion of maintaining a place to sell controlled substances and held on $20,000 bond; the remaining suspects were booked on suspicion of narcotics-related offenses but are no longer in custody.

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Andrew Sheeler: 805-781-7934, @andrewsheeler

This story was originally published August 31, 2018 at 2:10 PM.

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