A 22-year-old Ceres felon was arrested for blowing through a stop sign Wednesday afternoon, June 24 and was jailed after police found a gun on him.

At 12:58 p.m. Chief Rick Collins and Captain Patrick Crane were returning to the Ceres Police Department headquarters when they spotted a pickup being driven erratically on Whitmore Avenue between Third and Fourth streets. The driver made a southbound turn on Fourth Street and failed to stop for the stop sign at Magnolia Avenue.

Chief Collins conducted a traffic stop on James Beaty, 22, of Ceres, at Fourth Street and El Camino Ave. Officer Charles Rushing provided backup.

Found to be on probation, Chief Collins asked Beaty to step out of his vehicle. As Beaty opened the door, he raised his hands and stated, “Fair warning, I have a piece on my side.”

Chief Collins handcuffed Beaty and removed an unloaded black and silver semi-auto handgun in the right side of Beaty’s pants. Commonly referred to as a ghost gun, it had no markings or serial number. Officer Rushing located a high capacity unloaded magazine that fit the handgun lying on the passenger seat. No ammunition was located.

Beaty was placed under arrest for possession of a firearm by a felon and probation violations.