Sacramento County deputies say a routine traffic stop on Thursday turned anything but routine after they pulled a vehicle over, found an unregistered, loaded assault-style rifle with a fully loaded extended magazine, and took a passenger into custody on multiple felony counts.
The passenger, identified by deputies as Adrian Sykes, was already out on bond from a previous firearms case and is expected to appear in court on Thursday, according to officials.
FOX40 reports that deputies searched the vehicle and turned up the rifle and extended magazine, and that Sykes was booked on several felony charges before later posting bond.
What deputies recovered
According to deputies, the vehicle search produced an unregistered assault rifle with an attached, fully loaded extended magazine. Under California law, large-capacity magazines, generally defined as devices that can accept more than 10 rounds, are typically prohibited. The California Department of Justice notes that possessing, transferring, or importing such magazines can bring criminal penalties in the state.
Defendant's background
Sykes has already surfaced in earlier firearm-related reporting. Local coverage shows that a 2021 traffic stop led to a search that uncovered multiple weapons and opened the door to a related fraud investigation. KTVU and other outlets previously reported that the earlier case resulted in firearm-related charges and a separate probe into alleged pandemic-era unemployment fraud.
Legal implications
Deputies said Sykes was booked on multiple felony counts and is expected to face prosecutors in court, with formal charges and any potential enhancements still tied to the ongoing investigation.
California Penal Code section 32310, outlined by the California Legislature, governs large-capacity magazines, spelling out penalties along with options for surrender or sale of prohibited magazines. Some violations under that section can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies.
For the most current details on the stop and booking, including what deputies say they recovered at the scene, see coverage from FOX40.
