Man who reported home invasion, robbery, arrested for firearm and drug possession

A man who told police that he was shot at during a home invasion robbery was in custody Friday for alleged firearm and drug possession after Palm Springs police allegedly found a gun, ammo and drugs in his home during their investigation of his robbery report.

Dewayne Jones, 43, was arrested Thursday afternoon on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, felony possession of marijuana for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia, after he was spotted with a gun in surveillance footage.

Jones told police that on August 14, someone had fired two gunshots at him during a robbery at his home, according to Sgt. William Hutchinson. As police investigated the robbery, they found that “Jones possessed video surveillance of the incident that he was concealing from investigators,” Hutchinson said.

Officers obtained a search warrant to get a hold of that footage and found that he allegedly had a gun when the supposed robbery occurred, which he was not allowed to own due to prior convictions.

Police investigated further and searched Jones’ home, where they found “a loaded 9mm handgun, 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 207 grams of marijuana believed to be packaged for sales, $5,800 in cash and a methamphetamine pipe,” according to Hutchinson.

Jones was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he was being held on $20,000 bail.

The home invasion robbery remains under investigation.

Information on Jones’ prior convictions was not disclosed. Local court records do not show that he has any convictions within Riverside County.