Sunnyvale apartment manager arrested after weapons cache, $100K in drugs found

By Tim Fang

Prosecutors in Santa Clara County have charged the manager of a Sunnyvale apartment complex with more than two dozen felonies, after authorities said they found a cache of guns and $100,000 worth of drugs.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office announced Wednesday that 51-year-old Brett Maxwell was arrested after authorities served warrants at his apartment complex and a storage unit last week. Prosecutors accuse Maxwell of running what they described as a “thriving” drug business selling methamphetamine and heroin.

“We will never accept turning our neighborhoods into gun and drug bazaars,” Rosen said in a statement. “Thanks to the partnership between local and federal law enforcement agencies, we shut down both this extremely dangerous business and the reckless felon who ran it.”

On Nov. 13, the Santa Clara County Gun Violence Task Force, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, San Jose Police Department, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, and federal agents served a warrant at an apartment complex near Fair Oaks Park. Prosecutors said the complex is located next to an elementary school and a city playground.

During a search of Maxwell’s apartment, authorities said they found an arsenal of guns, along with drugs and cash. A search of his storage unit located several miles away yielded guns, drugs and explosives.

Prosecutors said the drugs have an estimated street value of $100,000. Some of the weapons found are privately made unseralized firearms, more commonly known as “ghost guns.”

“This kind of collaboration is essential to keeping our neighborhoods safe, and we’re grateful for our partners who help us remove these dangerous threats from our streets,” said Chief Dan Pastor of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.

According to the DA’s office, Maxwell was set to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon. He faces prison time if convicted.