Law Librarian Arrested For Robbing Attorney’s Home

Zaharias, of Santa Maria, is due in court Jan. 13 to be formally charged, according to a source with the District Attorney’s Office who asked to remain anonymous.

The librarian is suspected of breaking into and burglarizing the Solvang condo of attorney Milton H. Yoshimoto on Dec. 12, according to the source. Zaharias later tried to sell guns stolen from the residence at an Oxnard gun shop, the source said.

According to the source, Zaharias is out of custody on either bail or his own recognizance.

Zaharias could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Further information from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department was unavailable Wednesday.

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Raymond MacGregor, library director for the Santa Barbara County Law Library, said Zaharias has asked for, and is taking, time off from his job.

He declined to discuss what, if any, disciplinary action would be taken against Zaharias.

MacGregor said that he is Zaharias’ supervisor. The law library, which is run separately from the county and the courts, has a board of trustees, he said. The law libraries, in both Santa Maria and Santa Barbara, are open to the public. Law librarians help people find codes and cases, and do filing, but do not offer legal advice, MacGregor said.

In Zaharias’ absence, part-time librarians and MacGregor himself will help out in the Santa Maria law library, he said.

Any disciplinary action taken against Zaharias would be done in consultation with the board, MacGregor added.

MacGregor said he has known Zaharias for 23 years, which is about how long Zaharias has worked as a law librarian with the county.

MacGregor was taken aback by the charges against Zaharias.

“I don’t think he’s ever had a speeding ticket,” MacGregor said.

“It’s very uncharacteristic, and I was very surprised and saddened,” he said later.

Yoshimoto said Wednesday that he had come home after work to find the light on at his house and the door unlocked but closed.

“Stepping in, it was pretty clear that some pretty valuable items were missing,” he said. Yoshimoto then called 9-1-1.

Various guns and knives and items of jewelry that Yoshimoto had collected over the course of 35 years were gone, the attorney said, which made him “cold furious.”

He said he is active in both target shooting and hunting, and has not yet received his stolen property back.

He said he doesn’t know how Zaharias, whom he said he has known for 15 years and considered somewhat of a friend, found out where he lived.

The attorney said he never discussed his possessions with Zaharias.

“Personally, I hope they throw the book at him,” Yoshimoto said.

“I had no idea that he was capable of such a crime,” he said later.

George Rice, owner of the gun store Shooters Paradise of Oxnard, said that Zaharias brought 19 guns and about 10 knives into the store to sell. Rice described the guns as ones that an “everyday shooter would have,” and not assault rifles.

When Zaharias was instructed to fill out paperwork, he said he would really like to make the sale without paperwork, Rice said.

After he was told paperwork was required, he said he had found the guns in a plastic bag, Rice said.

“And then the flags really went up,” Rice added.

Rice was not at the store, and his manager who was working at the time called and told him what was going on, and Rice instructed the manager to call the police.

Every one of the guns was stolen, Rice said.

James Voysey, assistant public defender for Santa Barbara County, called the situation “tragic.”

He said he has known Zaharias for years.

“My heart goes out to the guy,” Voysey said.