5 alleged gang members arrested in Santa Rosa amid ongoing crackdown
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Santa Rosa police arrested five suspected gang members over the weekend as the department continues its efforts to crack down on gangs, according to authorities.
The arrests happened on Sunday around 9:10 p.m. following a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation at the intersection of Hearn Avenue and Santa Rosa Avenue. Inside the vehicle were five people, including three youths.
Officers said there was probable cause to search the stopped vehicle, leading to the discovery of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun. The firearm was loaded with 10 unexpended cartridges, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.
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Officers also found paraphernalia inside the vehicle commonly associated with a criminal street gang.
Joseph Cervantes, a 28-year-old Santa Rosa resident and the vehicle's driver, along with David Dias, an 18-year-old Santa Rosa resident who was in the front passenger seat, were arrested at the scene. They face charges of participating in a criminal street gang, possessing a firearm without being the registered owner, and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.
The three juveniles, also facing the same charges, were arrested and subsequently booked into a juvenile detention center.