By Raiza Giorgi
publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested the alleged suspect wanted for robbing the Rabobank in Solvang on June 13.
Following the bank robbery, Sheriff’s detectives developed information that identified 32-year-old Marcus Lee Ghent of Madera County as the suspect in the case, according to Kelly Hoover, public information officer.
Marus Ghent
On June 18, a felony arrest warrant was sought for Ghent, charging him with burglary and robbery. On June 25. the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office was notified that Ghent was contacted by the Wright Police Department in Missouri during a welfare check. When officers discovered he had a warrant out of Santa Barbara County for a bank robbery, he was arrested. Ghent was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Warren County Jail in Missouri. On June 27, Ghent voluntarily waived extradition back to Santa Barbara County.
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Felony Fugitive Unit extradited Marcus Ghent back to Santa Barbara on July 6 and he was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail, being held on $100,000 bail. Ghent appeared in court today for his arraignment. His next court appearance will be on July 10.
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the possibility that Ghent could be linked to an additional bank robbery in another California county. At this time, it does not appear he had any specific tie to Santa Barbara County or the Solvang area.
