A stop for illegal window tint and expired registration in San Mateo yesterday ended with what police say was a converted machinegun, a stash of narcotics, and the arrest of an 18-year-old Belmont resident. Officers say they smelled a strong odor of marijuana and spotted an open bottle of alcohol inside the vehicle before taking the driver into custody on multiple firearms- and drug-related counts.
Police say the stop occurred around 1:37 PM at the intersection of Delaware Street and 25th Avenue. After establishing probable cause, officers searched a black backpack. They found a Glock pistol fitted with a multi-burst trigger, an extended magazine, and a round in the chamber, along with drug scales and packaging materials. They also recovered psilocybin mushrooms, 17 oxycodone pills, and marijuana, according to the San Mateo Police Department.
Charges And Booking
San Mateo police identified the driver as Carron Patterson, 18, of Belmont. The charges listed include converting a firearm to a machinegun (PC 32625), possession of a narcotic substance for sale (HS 11351) and possession of a controlled substance while armed (HS 11370.1(A)), among others. Patterson was booked into the San Mateo County Jail, as reported by the San Mateo Police Department.
What California Law Says About Machineguns
Under state law, intentionally converting a firearm into a machinegun is punishable by four, six or eight years in state prison, and possession or transportation of a machinegun carries additional penalties. That framework is outlined in California Penal Code § 32625, per Justia Legal Resources.
Police Message And Next Steps
The department framed the arrest as the result of proactive traffic enforcement and said the investigation remains active. The media release lists Andrew Peek as the public information officer and urges anyone with information about suspicious activity to report it to local law enforcement, according to the San Mateo Police Department.
