A woman arrested three times in four months last year on drug charges is back on the street in Santa Cruz County, an assistant district attorney told Patch Thursday.
Shannon Herzberg pleaded no contest to a single drug possession charge and probation violation, and the other charges -- gun possession and drugs for sale -- were dismissed, Santa Cruz County ADA Sara Dabkowski told Patch Thursday.
Her last arrest was Dec. 10, when a raid at an Aptos home yielded narcotics (including methamphetamine, prescription pills and marijuana), seizure of 10 rifles and four shotguns," Santa Cruz County sheriff's Sgt. Pat Dimick said at the time.
She was initially charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm around drugs but those charges were dropped and she received 220 days local jail time on the single drug possession charge, Dabkowski said.
The gun charges were dismissed because there was not enough evidence to prove Herzberg was the guns' owner.
"We determined that she was only possessing the drugs," Dabkowski said.
However, with credit for time served and good behavior credits, Herzberg was expected to serve only half that time.
Dabkowski told Patch it seems as though Herzberg was released sooner than even the 110 days she was to serve.
"I actually saw her," in the courthouse, Dabkowski said.
Inmates who have not committed serious felonies or strike offenses in many cases are released early because of jail overcrowding.
Probation was reinstated for another three years, since getting arrested is a probation violation.
MugShotWorld.com shows that Herzberg was arrested on Aug. 15 for possession of a controlled substance for sale and theft. She was again taken into custody on Nov. 20 for possession of unlawful paraphernalia and illegal possession of ammunition.
Andreas Ginghofer was also arrested at the Aptos home during the raid.
His case is currently set for trial; if convicted, he could get six years and six months in prison.
