Ceres Police arrested a 38-year-old Escalon man on warrants Tuesday morning, Jan. 30, but also found that he was carrying around suspected meth.

At 10:14 p.m., Officer Eric Souza was patrolling the area of Service and Morgan roads when he spotted a grey-colored Toyota Avalon in the AM/PM parking lot. Officer Souza knew that the driver Carlos Zarate, 38, of Escalon had a warrant for his arrest and when Zarate left the store, Officer Souza arrested him.

Another officer on scene noticed a plastic baggy in Zarate’s car containing a white crystalline substance near the center console. The substance weighed more than 27 grams. While searching Zarate, Officer Souza located drug paraphernalia. 

Zarate was booked to the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance for sales and probation violation.