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Ceres man faces gun, drug charges
Felon found in possession of 18 firearms
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Justin Stark was arrested on prescription drug and illegal gun possession charges. - photo by Contributed to the Courier

A 36-year-old Ceres man is facing multiple gun and drug sales charges stemming from a Ceres Police Department discovery of items seized during a car stop and search of his home.

Last month Ceres Police received tips that Justin Stark was buying and selling prescription medication from his home in the 3700 block of Collins Road.

On Sept. 26, Officer Matt Berlier made a stop on Stark while he was driving in Ceres and arrested him for having an outstanding warrant. A search of Stark's vehicle led to the discovery of a partially stocked unlabeled prescription bottle, shooting targets and a thick piece of steel containing multiple large caliber bullet impact marks. Based on the items seized from the car, Ceres Police detective Eric Gallegos obtained a warrant to search Stark's home for evidence of drug sales and weapons violation, which was executed Thursday morning. Police seized 18 firearms ranging from handguns to large caliber rifles, several hundred rounds of ammunition, multiple prescription medication and evidence to support the sales of prescription medication.

Stark was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail as a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and possession of prescription medication for sales.

Then living in Modesto, Stark was sentenced in March 2010 to six years in prison for drunken driving in an crash that resulted in the death of friend and passenger David Gabriel Alvara. Stark was convicted of vehicular manslaughter while driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.13 percent. The crash occurred on July 18, 2009 when Stark drifted into a parked semi-trailer near Riverside Drive and Yosemite Boulevard in Modesto.

Stark had previously been convicted for a DUI offense in 2008.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident can remain anonymous and is encouraged to contact the Ceres Police Department Tip Hotline at 538-5740 or Detective Eric Gallegos at 538-5638.