A report of a suspicious man in a car parked behind the Quik Stop on Service Road led Ceres police to arrest Ruben Valdez, 46, of Modesto, for possession of drugs on Wednesday, June 17.

Police showed up behind the store at 12:04 a.m. and found Valdez sleeping in the back seat of a green 1996 Ford Explorer. The parolee - for a prior conviction of making criminal threats - admitted that he had drugs and a warrant for his arrest. Police found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine and he told police that he had a hypodermic needle hidden in his right sock.

Police learned that Valdez had an outstanding warrant from the California Department of Corrections. He was arrested for possession of an illegal narcotic, possession of drug paraphernalia and a warrant as a parolee at large.