A 38-year-old Modesto driver as arrested after he was pulled over for driving a car with expired and falsified registration and found with illegal weapons and drugs Friday evening.

At 9:25 p.m. Ceres Police Officer Jesus Salinas conducted a traffic stop on a black Lincoln on Herndon Avenue at Central Avenue for having expired and false registration. A records check of the license plate showed the registration was expired since August 2015 however the license plate displayed tags showing August 2017.

Ivan Vegas, 38, of Modesto, stated his driver license was suspended and that he was on probation for auto theft. Officer Eric Gallegos arrived to assist with the investigation.
A record check of Vegas revealed that he was on searchable probation and had an unconfirmed felony warrant issued by the Sheriff's Department. During a search of Vegas, Officer Salinas located a pair of metal brass knuckles. The car yielded four shotgun shell casings and 30.2 grams of methamphetamine stored in an eyeglass case.

The engine compartment yielded an unloaded black Winchester 120 .12-gauge shotgun with a sawed-off barrel under 16 inches in length. The weapon was covered by a makeshift plastic cover under the hood.

Vegas denied knowing about the shotgun and that he had bought the car for $500 in Keyes just days prior. Vegas said that everything inside of the vehicle was already there. Vegas stated that he was aware of the shotgun shells in the vehicle but also stated he is aware that he is not allowed to possess ammunition since he's on probation. The methamphetamine was his, he admitted.

He was booked into the County jail on several felony charges consisting of possession of a short barreled shot gun, possession of a concealed firearm, ex-felon in possession of a firearm, possession of metal knuckles, transportation for sale of narcotics and the felony warrant for auto theft.