In a crackdown on narcotics sales and unlawful weaponry, Escondido police arrested a local man found with a cache of drugs and a loaded gun in a closed-off creek bed area. The Escondido Police Department’s Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) Unit patrolled Harmony Grove Creek, west of 1800 Harmony Grove Road, on April 10, when they stumbled upon the illegal encampment.

Jalen Owens, 30, a man with a history of brushes with the law was occupying the area off-limits to the public. He was not only residing illegally on city-owned property but was also on active probation, which added a layer to his offenses. According to a statement from the Escondido Police Department, officers discovered roughly 80 grams of fentanyl, 17 grams of methamphetamine, and $2,000 in cash, along with body armor and the firearm, all upon a search of Owens’ belongings.

Owens, whose past includes tangles with the legal system, now faces a number of severe charges following his latest arrest. The authorities laid multiple charges against him, including possession of narcotics with intent to sell, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and violation of probation. These offenses paint a bleak picture for the future of Owens, who finds himself once again on the wrong side of the law.

After the arrest in the Harmony Grove area—a spot that has seen a growing trend of crime and disorder—the culprit was booked into the Vista Detention Facility. The Escondido Police Department has intensified efforts to clean up the troubled spot, leading to Owens' apprehension.