A traffic stop in Solano County led to the arrest of a Vallejo man and subsequent search of his home, which led to the discovery a lot of meth, an endangered baby spider monkey, and two live rattlesnakes.

We don't rag on Vallejo as much as we used to here at SFist, but some crazy stuff still happens in that particular town with a certain amount of frequency, and we can't help but call out the trend.

The latest: A 50-year-old Vallejo man, Clifford Vincenty, was arrested last month following a traffic stop in unincoporated Solano County. Sheriff's deputies executed a search of Vincenty's vehicle and allegedly discovered a half-pound of methamphetamine.

According to court documents obtained by Bay Area News Group, following Vincenty's April 6 arrest, county vice detectives and the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team served a search warrant at his Vallejo home and discovered a whole lot more meth — another pound — around $2,000 in cash, as well as three illegal pets, one of them an endangered species.

That endangered species is an approximately 18-month-old female spider monkey named Violeta, who has been remanded to the care of the veterinary staff at the Oakland Zoo. The zoo came to Violeta's rescue on Thursday.



The other animals found were two live rattlesnakes that were being kept in a 20-gallon unsecured tank in an outdoor area.

It is illegal to keep any primate as a pet in California, but Bay Area News Group notes the special illegality of keeping a spider monkey.

"Infant spider monkeys in the pet trade are often the result of their mothers and family members being shot down from the trees to capture the baby," says Colleen Kinzley, VP of Animal Care, Conservation, and Research at Oakland Zoo, speaking to the news group. "Many times, the baby is killed or injured due to the fall. Once they enter the pet trade, these animals typically do not receive a proper diet or adequate socialization with other monkeys, which can lead to lifelong physical and mental health issues. It is crucial to raise awareness about the threats these animals face and to take action to end this deadly trade."

The meth and cash haul. Photo via Solano County Sheriff's Office
Photo via Solano County Sheriff's Office
Photo via Solano County Sheriff's Office

The zoo says that Violeta will be examined and cared for, and so far she seems to be in good health. Ultimately she will be relocated to an accredited zoo or sanctuary where she can join a troop of other spider monkeys.

The zoo cautions that animals kept illegally, like Violeta, often don't receive proper nutrition or the socialization they need to lead a healthy life.

The snakes will be released into the wild somewhere far from human residences in the Vacaville area, by local outfit JW Reptile Rescue.

Vincenty has been charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale, but no charges have been filed so far regarding the animals.

"This operation demonstrates our commitment to disrupting illegal drug activity in Solano County,” said Undersheriff Brad DeWall in a statement.

The investigation remains ongoing, and the Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information related to this case to contact the Solano County Sheriff’s Office Investigation tip line at (707) 784-7050.