A 40-year-old Oakdale man who was panhandling near the Ceres Denny’s restaurant was booked last week for drug possession, lying about his identity and warrants for his arrest.

At 7:53 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10 Officer Kiashira Ruiz contacted Kyle McConnell, 40, of Oakdale, near the parking lot of the Herndon Road restaurant. 

McConnell provided his brother’s name but had trouble spelling the first name. Ruiz obtained a photograph of Kyle’s brother, which confirmed that McConnell was lying. He then provided his true name and was found to have four warrants for his arrest issued by Modesto Police. While arresting McConnell, Officer Ruiz located syringes and suspected heroin in his pockets. 

McConnell was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of impersonating another to make them liable, possession of a controlled substance and the four warrants.