Man Accused of Cocaine Possession

A Thousand Oaks man was in the Ventura County Jail on Thursday, held on suspicion of possession of cocaine with a street value of more than $200,000, authorities said.

Edward Jay Gregory, 51, was arrested Wednesday evening by a team of Ventura County sheriff’s narcotics investigators, police officers from Simi Valley and agents from the U.S. Customs Service at his home in the 2400 block of Avenida De Las Plantas in Thousand Oaks, said Capt. Dennis Carpenter, who is in charge of the Sheriff’s Department’s narcotics team.

Investigators found about 4 1/2 pounds of cocaine hidden in the base of a statue in Gregory’s home, Carpenter said.

Sheriff’s investigators had been alerted by customs agents that a package loaded with drugs from out of the country was to be delivered to Gregory’s home, he said. Investigators staked out the home and waited for the delivery.

Authorities also found weapons, Carpenter said.

Gregory is being held on suspicion of possession of cocaine with the intent to sell and illegal possession of firearms and dangerous weapons, a jail spokesman said. His bail is set at $20,000.