Alleged SLO County drug dealer bailed out of jail. One day later, he’s back behind bars
One day after posting a six-figure bail, the alleged head of a Central Coast drug ring was back behind bars Wednesday after he got into a fight with a roommate, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said.
Rogelio Bustamante Miranda, 42, of Paso Robles already faced a maximum of 18 years in state prison if convicted of conspiracy and transportation of narcotics charges, to which he’s pleaded not guilty.
He had been in San Luis Obispo County Jail custody since his arrest in early March in a multi-defendant drug case, and was released from jail after posting $370,000 bail at about 4:30 p.m., according to court records.
Jail logs show Miranda was booked back into jail on suspicion of assault and battery resulting in great bodily injury at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. No new charges have been filed against Miranda related to his Wednesday arrest as of Thursday afternoon.
Miranda was one of 12 San Luis Obispo County residents arrested in early March following indictments returned by a specially convened county Grand Jury on charges related to distribution of heroin and methamphetamine.
He was also one of several dozen County Jail inmates in pre-trial detention to go before a San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge last week and ask for early release on $0 bail amid efforts to prevent an outbreak of coronavirus at the jail.
As a person not accused of a violent crime, Miranda fit the criteria for a hearing following a state Judicial Council order allowing for the free release of inmates awaiting trial on technically non-violent crimes.
At the April 14 hearing, a county prosecutor argued against the release, telling a judge that Miranda personally supplied drugs to a dealer who lived blocks from a high school and Miranda was arrested following a police chase in which drugs were allegedly thrown from the car.
Chief deputy district attorney Lisa Muscari described Miranda to Superior Court Judge Dodie Harman as a flight risk with ties to Mexico, where prosecutors allege the drugs originated.
But Miranda’s attorney, Patrick Fisher, argued to Harman that Miranda’s family lives locally and he hasn’t been convicted of any crimes since 2005.
Harman rejected Miranda’s request for coronavirus-related $0 bail — noting he was arrested allegedly in possession of 2.2 lbs of heroin — but reduced his bail from $500,000 for a variety of reasons.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Cipolla said in an email Thursday that Miranda “got into a fight with his roommate” at the home the two shared in rural Paso Robles and “assaulted him.”
Sheriff’s deputies were called to the residence and placed Miranda under arrest on suspicion of assault with great bodily injury, Cipolla said.
Fisher said Thursday that the altercation Wednesday was instigated by an intoxicated roommate, based on alleged witness statements. Fisher indicated that he believes his client’s arrest was motivated by his high-profile drug case.
As of late Thursday afternoon, Miranda was listed back in County Jail custody, where he was being held without bail. A bail reduction hearing has been scheduled for April 29.
