Vallejo man arrested in FBI raid last month faces potential drugs, weapons charges

VALLEJO – The man arrested in an FBI raid in Vallejo last month faces potential charges of possessing drugs and weapons, according to a bail bond filed in Solano County Superior Court.

Bobby Lee Stanfield was arrested on April 27 and held on $100,000 bail. He was released hours later on a $10,000 bond, according to court records. His bail bond and receipt listed his charges as possession of a controlled substance while armed and possession of firearms and ammunition as a felon. Stanfield was previously convicted of selling cocaine in 2008, according to federal court records.

FBI agents, with the support of Solano County Sheriff’s Office and Vallejo police, searched two other units at the apartment complex in addition to Stanfield’s residence at 710 Ohio St. After the raid, a row of six gaming consoles were visible from the street through the open door of 706 Ohio St.

Some neighbors complained about illegal gambling in the building. Businesses known as “bizones” offer  internet gambling and allow customers to buy and cash out credits for internet gambling websites.

Stanfield has not yet been formally charged with any crime, including any illegal gambling offenses. His first court appearance is scheduled for June 27. A Solano County District Attorney’s spokesperson did not respond to questions about what charges they intended to bring against Stanfield.

On the day of the raid, neighbors offered conflicting views of the activity that had been taking place at the building. Some neighbors had complained to police and city officials about cars frequently double parked in front of the building. Others said that Stanfield was supportive of homeless people in the area and regularly provided shelter.

After Stanfield’s arrest, Ohio Street neighbor Samuel Coniglio said that in the past six months there has been an increase in people parking broken down vehicles and visiting the building, staying for about a half an hour and then leaving.  

Coniglio said that there are six houses with children in the immediate neighborhood and that there have been two shootings near the corner of Ohio and Sonoma Streets.

“People can live their lives and do their thing but when there is a shooting, that affects everybody,” Coniglio said. “If they are doing a service for the community, great, just announce it in some way, put a sign up, advertise, talk about it, do something to help make it clear what’s going on because the neighbors are frustrated and afraid.”

After Stanfield was released on bail, he told the Vallejo Sun that he has been at the location on Ohio Street for less than six months and he is getting blamed for activity that has been going on in that neighborhood for years.

“The reason I created the place was because people were freezing in the beginning of the year, so I thought I could at least make a place where people could come in and get warm,” Stanfield said. “This corner is notorious for prostitutes but that has been going on for years. Why are they penalizing me for that? Because some of them come in and get some coffee or some cocoa?”

“They are human too, what if one of them froze out there on the streets?” he added. “I just don’t think Vallejo is doing enough for the homeless.”

Stanfield said that he would like to begin hosting men’s and women’s group therapy sessions at the location to help people process some of the trauma that they have experienced on the streets.

Coniglio belongs to a group called the Washington Park Neighborhood Organization that hosts regular events where people volunteer to pick up trash in the neighborhood. He said that the neighborhood association would gladly help out if Stanfield’s project is benefiting the community but he hopes for more communication because there has been no indication about whether the operation is a business or a non-profit.