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Loaded stolen gun found in speeding pickup driven by felon
Paul Mendoza III
Paul Mendoza III

A man driving erratically and passing vehicles at a high rate of speed on the right side of the road flagged the attention of a Ceres Police officer who pulled the ex-felon over and found him with a loaded handgun.

Officer Jesus Salinas was on patrol at 10:21 a.m. on Monday and spotted the white Dodge Durango making illegal moves and caught up to it for a traffic stop. The driver, Paul Mendoza III, 37, of Modesto, immediately got out. 

Mendoza was found to be on probation. A search of his pickup revealed a loaded stolen handgun. Mendoza is prohibited from having a firearm due to crimes he has been convicted of in the past. He was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of stolen property.