On Tuesday afternoon, officers responded to a call reporting a trespassing violation at an apartment complex on Pioneer Lane in Santa Rosa, California.
According to the Santa Rosa Police Department, the situation seemingly began as a simple eviction case, with maintenance staff reporting at least one person trespassing in an unoccupied apartment, possibly a former tenant who had been evicted. Upon arriving at the scene, however, officers discovered more than just a trespasser. Itching there was a loaded firearm, hidden within a sleeping bag, belonging to one of the two detained men.
The suspect, 37-year-old John Edward Allen Jr., is revealed to have been a convicted felon with prior records. Per his criminal history, Allen was prohibited from possessing any firearms.
Allen was charged with misdemeanor trespassing, felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and misdemeanor possession of an unserialized firearm. As of now, it remains unclear how Allen came into possession of the unserialized firearm or his reasons for carrying it.
