Cache of guns found in 2 vehicles

After pursuit in Santa Rosa, 7 men arrested on weapons charges, 1 held for drugs

By LAURA NORTON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Published: Thursday, November 27, 2008 at 4:20 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 27, 2008 at 4:20 a.m.

Seven men carrying an illegal arsenal of assault weapons and an eighth man suspected of selling marijuana were arrested in Santa Rosa early Tuesday.

Officials said the arrests were made just in time.

"We believe they were going to commit a crime out of the county," said Lt. Tim Duke with the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. "A crime was stopped."

Deputies received an anonymous tip just after midnight Monday that a Chevy Tahoe SUV and a pickup with multiple passengers who had illegal assault weapons were driving into Sonoma County.

Deputies spotted the vehicles heading southbound on Highway 101 at the Highway 12 interchange.

After a brief pursuit, the sport utility vehicle was stopped on Myrtlewood Drive in Santa Rosa and the truck was stopped at a convenience store on Corby Avenue.

Searches turned up one loaded pistol, four assault rifles, one loaded shotgun, a short-barreled shotgun with a pistol grip, six loaded assault-rifle magazines, and two types of shotgun ammunition, Duke said.

A Myrtlewood Drive home associated with the drivers and passengers was searched Wednesday morning, detectives said.

A large amount of processed marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found, and resident Jose Flores Lopez, 30, was arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sale, Duke said.

Elezandro Medina Solereo, 23; Margarito Bautista Guzman, 42; Jose Luis Sosa-Lopez, 21; Ismael Sosa-Lopez, 23; Everado Flores Lopez, 28; and Francisco Javier Reyes, 20, all of Santa Rosa were arrested on suspicion of carrying loaded firearms and possessing assault rifles.

Juan Alejandro Ornela-Bermudez, 23, of San Rafael was arrested on the same charges.

Solereo, Ornela-Bermudez, Guzman, Jose Luis Sosa-Lopez and Ismael Sosa-Lopez also were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime.

All of the men were being held without bail at Sonoma County Jail where their immigation status will be checked.

They are expected in court Monday.

You can reach Staff Writer Laura Norton at 521-5220 or laura.norton@pressdemocrat.com.

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