A routine traffic snag outside Oakland's MacArthur BART station turned into a major narcotics case yesterday, after police say a car blocking an exit led them to a satchel packed with suspected drugs and a loaded pistol.
The stop happened just before 4 PM near the 600 block of West MacArthur Boulevard, where officers pulled over a Buick LaCrosse that was blocking an exit and carried a temporary paper plate with no record on file, according to court filings. Inside, investigators say they found a satchel holding suspected crack cocaine, methamphetamine, black tar heroin and ecstasy pills, along with packaging materials. A loaded pistol was allegedly stashed under the driver's seat, and officers say the man also had suspected crack, a glass pipe and a bullet on him. Those details were reported by The Mercury News.
MacArthur Station Context
MacArthur is a busy transfer hub in north Oakland, and it is no stranger to law enforcement activity. Publicly available logs for the station list narcotics and weapons-related entries among the categories recorded there, according to BART Crimes.
Court filings identify the suspects as a 62-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman. Both were booked on counts that include possession for sale of cocaine base and methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Prosecutors also allege the man, who has prior felony convictions dating back to 1982, possessed the firearm and ammunition while prohibited. He remains jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail, while the woman was released on her own recognizance, according to The Mercury News.
Legal Process
Both defendants face felony counts that, if proved, can carry state prison time and additional penalties under California law. Possession for sale of controlled substances is a felony under Health & Safety Code section 11351, and possession for sale of methamphetamine is a felony under section 11378. Courts may also impose added fines and laboratory fees as part of sentencing. For statutory overviews of section 11351 and section 11378, see Shouse Law Group and Shouse Law Group. Defendants are entitled to arraignment and pretrial proceedings in Alameda County Superior Court, and prosecutors may seek sentence enhancements tied to firearms and prior convictions.
