Man, 20, and three minors arrested during weapons investigation in Coachella
A 20-year-old man and three juveniles were arrested during a weapons investigation in which several firearms and approximately 42 pounds of suspected fentanyl were found, authorities said today.
The Coachella man was arrested on suspicion of several weapon-related charges, child endangerment and violation of probation, according to Sgt. Cameron James.
Two juveniles of an undetermined age were arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a stolen vehicle, and a 14-year-old boy of Coachella was arrested on suspicion of multiple weapon-related charges.
James said that at 1:43 p.m. Wednesday, members of the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force and Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Detail were conducting a weapons-related investigation in the 85900 block of Avenida Aleenah.
During the investigation, a stolen vehicle was identified and found, with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol Air Operations, according to James. The two male juveniles were seen inside the vehicle trying to start it, but they were arrested and booked into the Indio Juvenile Detention Center.
As the investigation continued, the 20-year-old and the Coachella teen were seen leaving the area, so CVVCGTF members stopped their vehicle and arrested them, James said. The vehicle was subsequently searched and a fully automatic short-barrel rifle and two handguns, one which was fully automatic, were found, according to James.
A search warrant was then authored for a residence in the area, where CVVCGTF members found more firearms and about 42 pounds of suspected fentanyl, though deputies were still working Thursday to arrest the suspect responsible for it, said James.
The 20-year-old was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio and remains held on a $50,000 bail bond, according to inmate records.
Anyone with additional information on the firearms or fentanyl was asked to call Gang Task Force member Deputy Piscatella at 760-836-1600 or Valley Crimestoppers anonymously at 760-341-7867 (STOP).
