Local law enforcement officials cracked down on illegal weapons and drug operations, recovering a slew of firearms and a significant stash of drugs, and seizing a stolen vehicle in a raid at Coachella Valley on Wednesday.
The raid, orchestrated by the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force and the Riverside Auto-Theft Interdiction Detail, saw two male juveniles nabbed in possession of the stolen car while trying to hastily start it. According to information released by the Riverside Sheriff's Department, the duo was booked into the Indio Juvenile Detention Center.
The task force continued to surveil the area, resulting in the detention of Sergio Felix, a 20-year-old Coachella resident, alongside a 14-year-old juvenile. Both were taken into custody following a traffic stop that led to the discovery of a fully automatic short-barrel rifle and two handguns, one of which was also fully automatic, within the vehicle. "A search of the vehicle revealed a fully automatic short-barrel rifle and two handguns, one of which was determined to be fully automatic," stated the Riverside Sheriff's Department.
Members of the task force secured a warrant to search a related residence, where they ended up uncovering additional firearms and roughly 42 pounds of suspected fentanyl. Felix is facing multiple charges now, including weapon-related offenses and child endangerment, while the juvenile was also booked for multiple weapon-related charges. They're being held at the John Benoit Detention Center and the Indio Juvenile Detention Center. The Riverside Sheriff's Department has indicated that the investigation is ongoing and actively seeks to bring to justice the suspect responsible for the suspected fentanyl found.
The Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force is doubling down on efforts to eradicate violent crime and gang presence in local communities. Officials have called on the public for assistance—anyone with information related to this case or other gang activities can reach out through various channels provided by the task force.
