During a routine traffic stop yesterday, Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) officers found more than they bargained for, recovering a loaded firearm from a vehicle with suspected gang affiliations. The stop, conducted near Santa Rosa Avenue and Yolanda Avenue at around 6:15 PM, picked out a car for having illegal window tinting, according to the SRPD's social media post. The driver, 19-year-old Luis Roque, and the passenger, 37-year-old Jose Quiroz, were quickly identified by officers as being associated with criminal street activities, with Quiroz additionally being recognized as a parolee.
It didn't take long to escalate from a simple traffic stop to a more serious situation. The SRPD K-9 Officer and his canine partner, Ghost, were called to assist. Ghost quickly alerted officers to the presence of something suspicious in the front area of the car, leading to a more thorough search. Officers discovered a .40 caliber S&W M&P Shield pistol hidden behind the A/C and radio controls. Neither Roque nor Quiroz was the registered owner of the firearm with the Department of Justice (DOJ), making possession of the weapon a violation of the law.
Quiroz, due to his parole terms, was subject to an immediate search, which unveiled the hidden gun. As a result, he faced multiple felony charges, including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and participation in a criminal street gang. Roque was also booked on felony charges, including possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle. The discovery of the firearm led to further assistance from SRPD Gang Crimes Team (GCT) detectives who took over the investigation, as noted on the SRPD’s social media post.
