Close To Home: Suspect Arrested in Isla Vista Robbery

Click Here for KEYT Report (also quoted below).

On Saturday February 10th at approximately 6:30 pm, two UCSB students were robbed at gunpoint in an apartment in Isla Vista. The victims were in an apartment when two individuals knocked on the door. One of the two subjects was an old roommate of the victims and the two were invited inside.

A short time later, one of the subjects produced a handgun from his waistband and demanded any cash they had on hand. The suspect was apparently aware of a safe in the apartment. The suspect led the victim to the safe and demanded its contents. The victims placed approximately 3 oz. of marijuana and approximately $5,000 cash into a backpack. The victims were escorted into the bathroom and advised not to contact authorities. The suspects then fled the apartment.

Sheriff’s Detectives were called to investigate. One of the suspects was a former roommate of the victim’s and was immediately identified as 24 year old Nathan Martin. The second suspect (who produced the handgun) was identified several days later as 27 year old Billy Wayne Gossett of Goleta. Gossett works as a youth basketball coach at the YMCA. Late last week, Sheriff’s Deputies observed Gossett leaving a residence on Bradford Dr. in Goleta and initiated a felony traffic stop. He was arrested without incident. He was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for robbery, kidnapping, false Imprisonment, burglary and assault with a Firearm; his bail is set at $100,000. A subsequent search warrant served at Gossett’s residence recovered marijuana, cash and several firearms. Detectives determined that Gossett acted independently during the robbery. Nathan Martin was not arrested or charged with this crime.