• STOLEN PROPERTY ARRESTS MADE
Two men were arrested Sunday morning after two men were found with suspected stolen items in a stolen vehicle.
A felony traffic stop was made on a 1995 Honda Civic at 9:30 a.m. after the registered owner spotted it rolling in the area of Magnolia and Second streets. Officer Ron Collins located the stolen car on Whitmore Avenue and watched as it pulled into 2352 Whitmore Avenue. That's when the occupants were ordered to come out at gunpoint. Both men were arrested without incident.
Officers searched the car and found four window-mounted air conditioning units that were deemed to be stolen property.
Jaime Mendez, 29, of Ceres, was arrested and charged with auto theft and possession of stolen property as well as a parole violation.
Jose Padilla, 27, was charged with auto theft and and possession of stolen property.
• OFFICERS ASSAULTED DURING PARTY
Things got ugly for two officers who turned up to break up a loud party in the 3300 block of Waynesboro Court on Saturday evening and were attacked.
Neighbors called police at 11:34 p.m. about a raucous party. Officers Randy Bays and Joe Wren showed up and learned that a large gathering was watching an MMA fight on TV with some of the men in the front yard who were "slap fighting." Bays and Wren asked them to stay quiet when one man one challenged the officers. He then approached Wren who then forced the man to the ground and handcuffed him. That's when a second man jumped Wren and punched him in the face. As Bays grabbed the suspect, a large crowd of men came out of the garage. Bays was struck in the head as well, prompting Wren to release his canine, Zeus, who bit one of the suspects. Zeus also accidentally bit Bays in the leg in the tangle of people fighting.
The homeowner was taken to the hospital with dog bite wounds.
Luis Martinez, 21, of Ceres, was arrested and charged with assault on a peace officer.
Felipe Martinez, 25, of Ceres, was charged with assault on peace officer and public drunkeness.
Luis Ferandez, 23, of Ceres, was also charged with being drunk in public.
Richard Berbmen, 26, of Ceres, was charged with obstructing or delaying an officer and public intoxication.
• TEEN ARRESTED FOR PACKING GUN
A 15-year-old Ceres boy was arrested Friday evening after he was spotted totting a gun in front of Burrito King.
Officer Chris Melton responded at 11:15 p.m. and found 10 subjects hanging out in the area. Melton searched the boy and located a rifle, whose barrel had been cut down to the size of a handgun, stuffed in his waistband. The weapon was seized and the boy was booked into Juvenile Hall on charges of possession of an illegal firearm. Melton also arrested two other Ceres boys, aged 15 and 16, for public intoxication.
• PAIR ON CAMPUS WITH BURGLARY TOOLS
David Pitman, 29, and Damien Welch, 21, both of Ceres, were arrested on charges of attempted felony theft and possession of burglary tools after they were caught on the grounds of Ceres High School early Saturday.
Detective Derek Perry and Brittney England located two men inside the basketball courts at 3:29 a.m. They were in possession of a Saws All and burglary tools.
"We feel they were there to steal recyclable metals," said Ceres Police Lt. Brent Smith.
• PAROLEE BROUGHT IN WITH HELP OF TASER
A parolee who was wanted for domestic violence and armed robbery was arrested Saturday morning after he was found hiding underneath a sofa in the 2700 block of Roeding Road.
At 1:40 a.m. officers went to the address believing that Robert Rangel was there. The homeowner allowed police to go in and search. Rangel was not cooperative and officers used a Taser to get him into compliance since he was considered armed and dangerous.
Rangel was booked for the warrants.
• TRAFFIC STOP NETS POT
Two occupants of a car stopped in traffic at 10 p.m. on Saturday at Herndon and Pecos yielded the seizure of numerous pot plants.
Matthew Kelly, 55, and Lloyd Higgins, 29, was arrested for transportation of marijuana and cultivation of marijuana.
• DOCUMENTED GANG MEMBER ARRESTED
David Chavarria, 27, a documented Norteno gang member, was arrested after a short Sunday evening foot pursuit in the area of Church and Atlantic in south Modesto.
Detective Keith Griebel and officer Dirk Nieuwenhuis had information about Chavarria's location and found him at 10:08 p.m. The suspect dropped a loaded stolen .40 caliber handgun in the backyard at 917 Atlantic and began jumping fences. He was followed by the officers and tracked, with the help of a Sheriff's Department canine, to a shed at 1029 Atlantic. Police found him hiding in a refrigerator inside a shed. He was apprehended and arrested.
• MARIJUANA BUST
Ceres police executed a search warrant in the 2500 block of Second Street on Sunday afternoon which netted the seizure of 32 marijuana plants.
At 4:30 p.m. officers walked onto the property and saw where the plants had been dug up from the backyard and were hanging to dry inside the garage. Police estimate that 10-25 pounds of dried product were seized.
Victor Mendoza, 23, of Ceres, was cited and a complaint has been forwarded to the district attorney for illegal cultivation of marijuana.
• TWO MEN ARRESTED IN AUTO THEFTS
Two stolen vehicles were recovered Saturday with two suspects arrested for the crime.
At 5 p.m. an agent with the Stanislaus County Auto Theft Task Force (StanCATT) requested Ceres Police assistance in pulling over a stolen 2011 Toyota pickup in the 3400 block Pleasant Avenue. Anthony Castro, 31, of Modesto, was arrested for auto theft. He was also found with 2.7 grams of methamphetamine on him as well.
Police also arrested the driver of a stolen car related to the prior auto theft after a high-speed chase that ended in the Colony Park Mobilehome Park, 3939 Central Avenue. Driver Danny Lopez bailed on foot but was apprehended by Officer Brittany England. Lopez was found with keys to the stolen truck.
Two men were arrested Sunday morning after two men were found with suspected stolen items in a stolen vehicle.
A felony traffic stop was made on a 1995 Honda Civic at 9:30 a.m. after the registered owner spotted it rolling in the area of Magnolia and Second streets. Officer Ron Collins located the stolen car on Whitmore Avenue and watched as it pulled into 2352 Whitmore Avenue. That's when the occupants were ordered to come out at gunpoint. Both men were arrested without incident.
Officers searched the car and found four window-mounted air conditioning units that were deemed to be stolen property.
Jaime Mendez, 29, of Ceres, was arrested and charged with auto theft and possession of stolen property as well as a parole violation.
Jose Padilla, 27, was charged with auto theft and and possession of stolen property.
• OFFICERS ASSAULTED DURING PARTY
Things got ugly for two officers who turned up to break up a loud party in the 3300 block of Waynesboro Court on Saturday evening and were attacked.
Neighbors called police at 11:34 p.m. about a raucous party. Officers Randy Bays and Joe Wren showed up and learned that a large gathering was watching an MMA fight on TV with some of the men in the front yard who were "slap fighting." Bays and Wren asked them to stay quiet when one man one challenged the officers. He then approached Wren who then forced the man to the ground and handcuffed him. That's when a second man jumped Wren and punched him in the face. As Bays grabbed the suspect, a large crowd of men came out of the garage. Bays was struck in the head as well, prompting Wren to release his canine, Zeus, who bit one of the suspects. Zeus also accidentally bit Bays in the leg in the tangle of people fighting.
The homeowner was taken to the hospital with dog bite wounds.
Luis Martinez, 21, of Ceres, was arrested and charged with assault on a peace officer.
Felipe Martinez, 25, of Ceres, was charged with assault on peace officer and public drunkeness.
Luis Ferandez, 23, of Ceres, was also charged with being drunk in public.
Richard Berbmen, 26, of Ceres, was charged with obstructing or delaying an officer and public intoxication.
• TEEN ARRESTED FOR PACKING GUN
A 15-year-old Ceres boy was arrested Friday evening after he was spotted totting a gun in front of Burrito King.
Officer Chris Melton responded at 11:15 p.m. and found 10 subjects hanging out in the area. Melton searched the boy and located a rifle, whose barrel had been cut down to the size of a handgun, stuffed in his waistband. The weapon was seized and the boy was booked into Juvenile Hall on charges of possession of an illegal firearm. Melton also arrested two other Ceres boys, aged 15 and 16, for public intoxication.
• PAIR ON CAMPUS WITH BURGLARY TOOLS
David Pitman, 29, and Damien Welch, 21, both of Ceres, were arrested on charges of attempted felony theft and possession of burglary tools after they were caught on the grounds of Ceres High School early Saturday.
Detective Derek Perry and Brittney England located two men inside the basketball courts at 3:29 a.m. They were in possession of a Saws All and burglary tools.
"We feel they were there to steal recyclable metals," said Ceres Police Lt. Brent Smith.
• PAROLEE BROUGHT IN WITH HELP OF TASER
A parolee who was wanted for domestic violence and armed robbery was arrested Saturday morning after he was found hiding underneath a sofa in the 2700 block of Roeding Road.
At 1:40 a.m. officers went to the address believing that Robert Rangel was there. The homeowner allowed police to go in and search. Rangel was not cooperative and officers used a Taser to get him into compliance since he was considered armed and dangerous.
Rangel was booked for the warrants.
• TRAFFIC STOP NETS POT
Two occupants of a car stopped in traffic at 10 p.m. on Saturday at Herndon and Pecos yielded the seizure of numerous pot plants.
Matthew Kelly, 55, and Lloyd Higgins, 29, was arrested for transportation of marijuana and cultivation of marijuana.
• DOCUMENTED GANG MEMBER ARRESTED
David Chavarria, 27, a documented Norteno gang member, was arrested after a short Sunday evening foot pursuit in the area of Church and Atlantic in south Modesto.
Detective Keith Griebel and officer Dirk Nieuwenhuis had information about Chavarria's location and found him at 10:08 p.m. The suspect dropped a loaded stolen .40 caliber handgun in the backyard at 917 Atlantic and began jumping fences. He was followed by the officers and tracked, with the help of a Sheriff's Department canine, to a shed at 1029 Atlantic. Police found him hiding in a refrigerator inside a shed. He was apprehended and arrested.
• MARIJUANA BUST
Ceres police executed a search warrant in the 2500 block of Second Street on Sunday afternoon which netted the seizure of 32 marijuana plants.
At 4:30 p.m. officers walked onto the property and saw where the plants had been dug up from the backyard and were hanging to dry inside the garage. Police estimate that 10-25 pounds of dried product were seized.
Victor Mendoza, 23, of Ceres, was cited and a complaint has been forwarded to the district attorney for illegal cultivation of marijuana.
• TWO MEN ARRESTED IN AUTO THEFTS
Two stolen vehicles were recovered Saturday with two suspects arrested for the crime.
At 5 p.m. an agent with the Stanislaus County Auto Theft Task Force (StanCATT) requested Ceres Police assistance in pulling over a stolen 2011 Toyota pickup in the 3400 block Pleasant Avenue. Anthony Castro, 31, of Modesto, was arrested for auto theft. He was also found with 2.7 grams of methamphetamine on him as well.
Police also arrested the driver of a stolen car related to the prior auto theft after a high-speed chase that ended in the Colony Park Mobilehome Park, 3939 Central Avenue. Driver Danny Lopez bailed on foot but was apprehended by Officer Brittany England. Lopez was found with keys to the stolen truck.
