SBPD Crime Report

A 37-year-old Seal Beach woman was arrested last week after police searched a Crestview Avenue house and found evidence to suggest she was dealing drugs there, authorities said.

Seal Beach police officers served the search warrant on Jan. 27 in the 1700 block of Crestview Avenue after several neighbors had reported suspicious activity in and around the home, according to Lt. Nick Nicholas.

The warrant was issued to search the residence for potential narcotics. Officers also went to the house on a call of an alleged overdose a few days prior to the police search, according to Nicholas.

The alleged overdose victim, who was not identified pending notification of family, was transported to a local hospital and later died, according to a police report.

During the search of the Crestview home, police found a large quantity of narcotics. Investigators believe that drugs were being used on site as well as being sold, but there was no indication drugs were manufactured at the house, police said.

Amber Conley, 37, of Seal Beach was arrested on suspicion of possession of narcotics for sale and operating or maintaining a residence for narcotics use or sales, Nicholas said.

In an unrelated incident, SBPD received a call Jan. 29 reporting a burglary at the Crestview location, which had been boarded up and secured. The caller reported hearing a woman screaming. A SWAT team responded to the residence and searched the property, but found no one inside, according to a press release.

“Seal Beach patrol officers learned that at least two suspects had forced entry into the vacant residence,” the release said of the Jan. 29 incident.

The department said two females were detained during that incident and “the investigation is ongoing to determine the most appropriate charges.” Their identities were not disclosed.

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A man was a victim of a random assault with a deadly weapon when an unknown person allegedly held a knife to his neck on Jan. 28, according to a press release from Seal Beach police.

At about 8:15 a.m., the Seal Beach Police Department received a call of an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred in the parking lot of the CVS Pharmacy, 921 Pacific Coast Highway.

The victim, an adult man, told officers that he had parked and was exiting his car when he was allegedly approached by the suspect. The suspect produced a knife and held it inches away from the victim’s neck. The suspect did not say anything, nor did he demand money or property.

The victim feared for his life. Seconds later, the suspect withdrew the knife from the victim’s neck and entered the CVS Pharmacy. The victim was uninjured.

Officers contacted the suspect inside the store and took him into custody without incident.

The suspect was identified as Christopher Patino-Guzman, 20, of Arlington, Virginia. He was arrested for 245(a)(1) CPC, assault with a deadly weapon, and later booked at the Orange County Jail.

The suspect’s motivation for this seemingly random assault is unknown. This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Bruno Balderrama at (562) 799-4100, ext. 1109, or bbalderrama@sealbeachca.gov.