On the evening of July 26th, a routine traffic stop by the Oxnard Police Department's Special Enforcement Unit turned to be anything but standard. While initiating the stop for traffic violations on Saviers Rd., near Pleasant Valley Rd., a search revealed that the parolee behind the wheel, Sergio Contreras, was apparently carrying more than just his license and registration. A loaded handgun was discovered in the vehicle, veering the traffic stop into the territory of criminal activity.
Contreras, a 42-year-old Oxnard resident is not new to the legal system. As a documented member of the Colonia Chiques gang and currently on parole, his past has a proclivity to, perhaps unfairly, color his present. In the incident's detailed report obtained by the Oxnard Police Department's news release, the subsequent "parole search" that followed the discovery of the firearm expanded to include Contreras's residence where further incriminating items - including narcotics and related paraphernalia - were uncovered.
The narrative presented by the Oxnard PD suggests a vigilant stance against gang-related crime and gun violence. "The Oxnard Police Department’s Special Enforcement Unit is committed to reducing gang crimes and gun violence in the City of Oxnard through the strict enforcement of laws specifically targeting known, active gang members residing in the city," Sergeant Jason Radcliffe was quoted in the news release. This incident, it seems, becomes a case in point for the department's broader mission.
Following the discovery and the subsequent search, Contreras was booked into Ventura County Jail. The police have urged anyone with additional information regarding the case, or other suspect criminal activities to reach out, highlighting the ability to do so anonymously through Crime Stoppers or directly via Oxnard PD's tip line. "Anyone with information regarding this case or other criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Oxnard Police Department," the official communication states.
