Published: May 20, 2010
Updated: 6:43 p.m.

Assault rifles, machine guns seized from home in Orange

By DENISSE SALAZAR
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SANTA ANA – A fugitive wanted in weapons trafficking was arrested with two other men after gang detectives stopped the vehicle they were in and found a machine pistol, a Tec-9 and a handgun, police said.

At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, gang detectives pulled over a Hyundai sedan at Main Street and Warner Avenue after they recognized one of its occupants as a parolee at large, said Santa Ana police Sgt. Lorenzo Carrillo, adding that the vehicle also was stopped for a vehicle code violation.

Andres Alexander Rivero, 30, of Huntington Beach; Isaac John Palacios, 26, of Santa Ana; and Michael James Lore, 34, of Orange were arrested on suspicion of weapons violations, Carrillo said.

Rivero, who was wanted by federal authorities on weapons violations, Palacios, who is a parolee at large and a Santa Ana gang member, and Lore, who has no previous criminal record, are being held at the Orange County Jail, Carrillo said.

About 2 a.m. Thursday, detectives searched Lore's home in the 4300 block of West Walnut Avenue and discovered additional weapons, including three shotguns, a handgun, two machine pistols, two assault rifles, a silencer and 32 high-capacity magazines.

Cpl. Rudy Reynoso of the gang suppression unit said the street value of the weapons seized was valued at about $10,000.

"We stopped weapons from getting into the hands of gang members who could hurt each other or our officers," Reynoso said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will trace the weapons and determine if they are fully automatic, Reynoso said.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3709 or desalazar@ocregister.com

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