Video Shows Father of Boy Who Tested Positive for Cocaine Being Arrested

A surveillance camera captured the moment when the father of a 5-year-old boy, who was later found with cocaine in his system, was arrested at a Southern California gas station moments before investigators said a drug deal was to take place.

The arrest of the father and the child's mother came after a three-month investigation into drug sales in Ventura County.

Authorities said the investigation began when the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office noticed an increase in cocaine use and sales in the east county area in July and August.

The investigation led them to 31-year-old Marco Cuevas, a Sylmar man believed to be selling the drug to teenagers and young adults in the area. Cuevas was also allegedly involved in the sale of guns, according to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

"It turned out that most of the drugs that were being sold and used, was originating from Marco Cuevas,” said Deputy Miguel Gonzalez.

After more than a month investigating Cuevas, he was arrested at a gas station in Moorpark on Thursday during what authorities believed was going to be a cocaine deal. Investigators allegedly found several ounces of cocaine on Cuevas, as well as half-pound of the drug in his SUV.

Authorities said the cocaine was in the back seat area of the vehicle near his 5-year-old son. The boy was tested for cocaine and preliminary results proved positive, officials said. It was unclear how the boy ingested the drug.

Cuevas’ wife, 29-year-old Sandy Cuevas, was also in the vehicle at the time of the arrest with $10,000 in suspected drug money.

Several pounds of marijuana, hundreds of pill prescriptions, 16 guns, nearly 3,000 rounds of ammunition and $75,000 in cash was found during a subsequent search of Cuevas’ home in the 13300 block of Berg Street in Sylmar, sheriff’s officials said.

Both Marco and Sandy Cuevas, parents to four children, were arrested on suspicion of selling cocaine and child endangerment. Marco Cuevas also faces multiple weapons violations including being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Marco Cuevas was being held on $1 million bail and his wife made bail. He was expected to be in court Monday.

All four of their children were with child protective services.

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