Yesterday's search warrant in Santa Rosa’s Roseland neighborhood turned up cocaine, a collection of firearms, and what officers describe as telltale signs of drug sales, according to police. The department’s Special Enforcement Team served the warrant, detained a 29-year-old man, and reported seizing suspected narcotics along with an AK-style Draco rifle, an unserialized Polymer80 “ghost” pistol, firearm conversion parts, and narcotics packaging and scales that investigators say are consistent with sales. Police say the operation was part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.
According to a Bay City News Service report carried by SFGATE, officers served the warrant at about 3:30 PM in the 1200 block of Hearn Avenue. That account notes the sweep authorized searches of the suspect, his vehicle, and his residence, and reports that roughly 1.5 ounces of suspected cocaine were recovered in addition to the firearms.
In a news release, City of Santa Rosa officials add that officers booked an unregistered Glock model 19 9mm, an unregistered Polymer80 9mm, the Draco-style rifle, and parts that included auto-sear reset components and Glock “switches.” The city identified the detained man as 29-year-old Erik Flores and said evidence was seized from his person, vehicle, and residence under the authority of the warrant.
Pattern of ghost-gun and narcotics enforcement
Police in Santa Rosa have repeatedly run into unregistered and homemade firearms in recent cases, and local coverage has traced a steady uptick in ghost-gun enforcement. Prior operations have turned up 3D printers and Polymer80 parts used to assemble unserialized weapons, part of a broader pattern documented by The Press Democrat, which has reported on similar seizures and related narcotics investigations in recent years.
Charges and booking
The city release states the investigation is recorded as SRPD case number 26-1235 and that Flores was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. He was booked on allegations that include possession of narcotics for sale (Health & Safety Code 11351), possession of an unserialized firearm (Penal Code 23920(b)), possession of an assault weapon (Penal Code 30605(a)), and possession of a machine gun (Penal Code 32625(a)). The release lists Sgt. M. White ([email protected]) is the media contact for the case, and the City of Santa Rosa notes that the search is tied to an ongoing narcotics-sales investigation.
The department has not released additional details about the broader probe or whether more arrests are anticipated. The Bay City News Service report carried by SFGATE says the investigation remains active. Officials ask anyone with information to contact Santa Rosa police through the city’s listed channels.
