In the early hours of Monday, the Ceres Police Department responded to a report of suspicious activity in the 1600 block of Dusty Miller Lane, following a call from a vigilant citizen. The tip led to the arrest of two local individuals, including a teenager, after a concealed weapon was discovered during a routine traffic stop.
Officers arrived on the scene shortly before 4 AM to investigate the report of multiple individuals allegedly breaking into cars. Officer Tyler Wilson spotted a red Toyota Camry with several occupants and, citing vehicle code violations, performed a traffic stop. Inside the car, Jayson Prasad, a 19-year-old from Ceres, was identified as the driver while 18-year-old Danny Valencia was among the passengers, this according to a Facebook post from the Ceres Police Department.
The traffic stop took a serious turn when Officer Wilson found one individual with a concealed, loaded firearm on his person. A second firearm was also recovered from the vehicle. Consequently, both Prasad and Valencia were arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and other weapons violations. They were then taken to the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center where, they were booked without further incident.
The Ceres Police Department praised the partnership between the police force and community, stating that it leads to "safer neighborhoods and a safer community." This incident underlines the importance of such collaboration and vigilance among residents to assist in curbing potential criminal activity in their own backyards.
