Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Guns

Two suspects arrested in Tustin with drugs and a gun

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Guns, Tustin Leave a comment

A Tustin Police Department officer recently struck up a conversation with David Phan and Priscilla Lopez at an apartment complex. The officer was surprised to find that were drugs and drug paraphernalia in plain view in their vehicle.

A further search of the vehicle yielded a loaded 9mm Beretta handgun. In total, they possessed over 8 grams of methamphetamine, 1.75 grams of heroin, and indicia for drug sales.

Both Phan and Lopez were booked into jail on numerous felony charges, including possession of drugs for sale, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm and a controlled substance, and many more.

This week, the Tustin Police Department handled 1084 calls, took 153 reports, and made 50 arrests.

The SAPD seized several handguns during a warrant search

Posted on by Posted in Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

While serving a search warrant in the area of the 1100 block of N. Western, SAPD Gang Detectives recovered two loaded 9mm caliber semi-auto handguns, 1 loaded .380 caliber semi-auto handgun & several loose rounds of various ammunition.

The suspects were not identified by the SAPD. If the suspects had records and were on probation they could be facing serious additional charges.

The SAPD seized more guns and drugs over the weekend

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

SAPD Directed Patrol police officers stopped a vehicle in the area of 3300 S. Main St. on Sunday. During a search of the front passenger who was on parole, officers located a firearm inside his backpack.

Gang Detectives stopped a vehicle for traffic violations in the area of the 55 Freeway and MacArthur Blvd. Detectives contacted the driver of the vehicle and noticed a small amount of methamphetamine on the floorboard. A loaded AR 15 rifle with extended mags, 1/2 pound of methamphetamine, and $1,700.00 in US Currency was located in the trunk of the vehicle.

SAPD MET Detectives were conducting crime suppression in the area of Edinger Ave. and Standard Ave. and stopped a vehicle for traffic violations. The driver was found to be on federal probation and in possession of drug paraphernalia. Detectives searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun under the passenger’s seat.

Gang Detectives stopped a vehicle for minor traffic violations. The front passenger in the vehicle immediately fled on foot while the female driver stayed in the vehicle. While apprehending the suspect, a loaded semi-automatic pistol fell out of his waistband. The driver of the vehicle was in possession of one ounce of methamphetamine.

While conducting a traffic stop, Gang Detectives recovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a large quantity of methamphetamine from inside the vehicle.

While responding to a call of a domestic dispute, SAPD Patrol Officers determined a man who lived there was on probation for being in possession of a firearm. Two firearms were recovered from the residence.

All suspects involved were arrested for felony and firearm violations.

The Costa Mesa Police busted four robbery suspects and seized their gun and drugs

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Drugs, Guns 1 Comment

On Tuesday morning, Costa Mesa police officers responded to a call for assistance at a residence. When officers arrived at the scene, they found four adults in their 30s.

They recognized one of the men as a suspect in a robbery that had occurred the day before at a hotel room, as well as another robbery from the previous week. The second suspect from the hotel robbery was also there. The third man was on parole and had methamphetamine on him. The fourth was a woman who had a warrant out for grand theft.

The police officers found stolen property and drugs inside the residence. With the assistance of K9 Bodi, the gun used in both robberies was also located.

All four of the suspects were arrested, drugs were taken off the street, and that’s one less felon with a gun.

The SAPD seized two more guns and made multiple felony arrests today

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

It has been a busy Friday for the SAPD – with two gun busts and multiple arrests.

SAPD MET Police Detectives conducted a pedestrian stop on a person of interest regarding a recent homicide.

The subject was in possession of a loaded semi-auto firearm. He was also a documented gang member and he was out on bail for a prior firearm violation.

SAPD Gang Detectives also conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driving erratically.

A loaded .38 caliber revolver was located on the sidewalk where the vehicle had stopped.

During a search of the vehicle, additional .38 caliber ammunition was located.

All of the suspects involved were arrested for felony and firearm violations

The SAPD arrested two suspects for gun violations

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

The SAPD’s Southeast Dyer Enforcement Team stopped a vehicle this afternoon for vehicle code violations.

During a search of the vehicle a loaded 9mm handgun was found concealed inside.

The driver and the passenger were arrested for firearm violations.

The SAPD did not identify the suspects.

If you want to avoid a similar fate, here is our state law regarding having a gun in your car, from our State Attorney General:

Pursuant to California Penal Code section 25610, a United States citizen over 18 years of age who is not prohibited from firearm possession, and who resides or is temporarily in California, may transport by motor vehicle any handgun provided it is unloaded and locked in the vehicle’s trunk or in a locked container.

Felon arrested in Garden Grove on gun charges

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, Guns 23 Comments

On October 22, 2020, at 3:32 PM, Garden Grove Police Department Community Impact Unit (CIU) officers conducted a traffic stop of a car in the area of 9th St and Garden Grove Blvd for vehicle code violations.

During a search of the vehicle, a fanny pack containing a loaded handgun, an extra loaded handgun magazine, and thousands of dollars in cash was located.

The driver, later identified as David Barraza, was found to be a convicted felon prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Further investigation revealed he was staying at a local hotel.

Garden Grove police officers subsequently served a search warrant of his room and found an additional hi-capacity handgun magazine, a handgun holster, additional ammunition, a digital scale, and a baggie of suspected narcotics.

Santa Ana man and two others arrested with guns and drugs in Garden Grove

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Drugs, Gangs, Garden Grove, Guns, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Due to an increase of criminal activity in the resort district because of the low occupancies, Garden Grove Police Department officers have been conducting high visibility patrol in the area.

On October 17, 2020 at 7:21 PM, Garden Grove police officers were patrolling the parking lot of the Delta Hotel (‪12021 Harbor Blvd.)‬ when they observed a parked Hyundai displaying license plates belonging to a BMW.

Three subjects were loitering near the vehicle and after seeing the police, they drove off.

The vehicle was driven by a female later identified as Jessica Haffener (50-years-old, of Carpinteria ) who is a convicted felon on active AB109/PRCS supervision.

Also in the car was Luis Zermeno (25-years-old, of Fullerton) who is a convicted felon on active parole and has a gang affiliation; and Abraham Magallon (45-years-old, of Santa Ana) who is on active AB109/PRCS supervision for a prior felony robbery conviction and has a gang affiliation.

The vehicle was stopped and investigated for improper display of the license plates. During the stop, Zermeno ran from officers and was taken into custody a short distance away. After securing him, officers located a loaded 9mm firearm concealed on his person. The handgun was reported stolen from another county. Zermeno was also in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine and heroin.

Haffener was found to be renting several rooms at the hotel. During a search of the rooms, officers located an AR-15 type rifle, rifle ammunition, high capacity magazines, and illegal narcotics.

Magallon was in possession of methamphetamine on his person and was issued a citation. Haffener and Zermeno were later booked at Orange County Jail.

Santa Ana felon facing gun charges after a 90-minute car chase

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Federal Government, Guns, Santa Ana 1 Comment

SANTA ANA, California – A multi-convicted felon who led law enforcement on a 90-minute car chase throughout Orange County earlier this week has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 Andres Alexander Rivero, 41, of Santa Ana, who was on probation in a state court case and previously served time in federal prison, was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed Tuesday. He will make his first appearance in federal court this afternoon.

On Monday afternoon, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Orange County Violent Crime Task Force (OCVCTF) was conducting surveillance when they observed a white Chevy van circling in a residential area. Law enforcement determined the van was stolen and attempted a traffic stop at the intersection of Midway Drive and Dickel Street in Anaheim.  

The driver, Rivero, failed to stop. He instead started driving erratically at dangerously high speeds to evade law enforcement. Rivero led authorities on a pursuit through Orange County at times traveling on the 22 Freeway and the 405 Highway.

According to the affidavit filed with the complaint, at one point a .40-caliber pistol was thrown from the van, and the passenger jumped out of the vehicle. The ATF OCVCTF immediately recovered the firearm. The passenger was detained and later released.

After Rivero exited the freeway, he drove on surface streets throughout Costa Mesa and into Garden Grove. Rivero stopped the van near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Garden Grove Boulevard in Garden Grove. Rivero exited the van and was taken into custody without further incident.

Rivero was previously convicted of criminal threats with intent to terrorize in November 2006; felon in possession of a firearm in January 2007; felon in possession of a firearm in January 2011; possession of a controlled substance and possession of a concealed dagger in April 2014; felon in possession of a firearm and bringing a controlled substance into prison in September 2016; and unlawfully taking a vehicle along with identity theft in May 2020.

The ATF OCVCTF is comprised of special agents from ATF, and detectives from Brea Police Department and Fullerton Police Department. The task force successfully investigates and identifies suspects responsible for violent crimes throughout Orange County.

This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Lichtman of the Santa Ana Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office. 

The SAPD seized four more guns and arrested the suspects for felony violations

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

The SAPD has been heavily touting their ongoing effort to seize guns form criminals in our community. In their latest Tweet they noted that four more guns were seized including a ridiculous pink gun.

The SAPD is calling this ongoing effort the “Operation Impact Street Violence”

All the suspects involved in this latest case were arrested for felony violations.

For these to be felony violations the suspects had to have been on parole or probation or the guns were not properly registered.

The SAPD did not identify the suspects. We wish they would…

Diverse array of drugs and guns seized by police in Westminster

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Drugs, Guns, Westminster Leave a comment

Anaheim Police Department investigators recently conducted an investigation that lead to a search warrant being served in Westminster, according to their Facebook page.

The investigation resulted in the seizure of cocaine, heroin and psilocybin (cop-talk for “magic mushrooms”) that was packaged for street level sales.

The Anaheim police detectives also seized a large variety of weapons and what they suspect to be illegal obtained cash.

Man arrested for selling drugs and guns in Fountain Valley

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Guns, Santa Ana Leave a comment

On October 1, 2020, undercover Detectives from the Fountain Valley Police Department Crime Suppression Unit developed information that Jesus Castaneda, a 22-year-old resident of Fullerton, was selling narcotics and firearms.

Police detectives began surveilling Castaneda’s activities and he was subsequently detained in the area of Orangethorpe and Gilbert in the City of Fullerton.

Undercover Detectives also conducted a search of Castaneda’s residence. Detectives located $17,000 in cash, a loaded firearm, 540 Xanax (Alprazolam) tablets, 543 grams of “molly” (MDMA/Ecstasy), and an assortment of cocaine, acid (LSD) and marijuana.

Castaneda was arrested on multiple charges including possession of narcotics with the intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a loaded firearm.

Castaneda was booked into Orange County Jail.

Armed convicted felon in Garden Grove charged with eight felony counts of fraud

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fraud, Garden Grove, Guns 10 Comments

Stephanie Barajas must have thought she had gotten away with it. She and other occupants had checked out of a local hotel in Garden Grove about a week ago, but they left behind various credit profiles and fraudulent items behind in the room, according to the Garden Grove police.

After countless hours of investigation, Garden Grove police department property crime detectives positively identified Barajas as a suspect, made an arrest and wrapped up a two-week long fraud investigation.

Yesterday, Barajas was located and taken into custody without incident.
During the search of Barajas’ vehicle, an unregistered .25 caliber semi-auto handgun with loaded magazine, and a box of ammo was found, along with several items related to fraudulent activity.

In the course of the investigation, numerous people were contacted and confirmed they were victims of identity theft.

It was also founded that Barajas is a convicted felon, who has violated her probation, cannot posses a firearm and had over $14,000.00 of fraudulently obtained EDD unemployment money in her account.

She was later booked into the O.C. Central Jail, charged with eight felony counts of fraud and three counts of firearms/ammunition possession.

The SAPD seized four handguns and ammo late on Friday night

Posted on by Posted in Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

SAPD police officers involved in the coordinated Operation Impact Street Violence program seized more guns late on Friday night from suspects who were not named, according to an SAPD Tweet.

The seized guns included:

  • a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun
  • a loaded 9 mm handgun
  • a loaded semi-auto 9mm handgun
  • a loaded .45 cal handgun & additional .45 cal ammo

The location of the seizure was not announced. It is also not clear what charges the suspects might be facing.

The SAPD arrested several armed gang suspects for felony violations

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Guns, Santa Ana, SAPD 3 Comments

While conducting patrol checks this past weekend in different areas of Santa Ana after an increase in gang activity, SAPD police officers seized the following, according to their Twitter account:

  • loaded 9 mm pistol semi-automatic w/ 25 rounds inside a high capacity magazine
  • loaded stolen .40 ca. semi-automatic pistol
  • loaded “M&P shield” semi-automatic pistol

All of the suspects involved were arrested for felony violations. The SAPD however did not release their names.