A routine traffic stop near Bear Valley Road and Kiowa Road in Apple Valley turned into a sprawling felony case after deputies say they found a convicted felon carrying ammunition, then uncovered cocaine hidden in his shoe at the jail, and ultimately seized firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition from his home. Rafael Perez, 57, now faces four felony charges stemming from the chain of discoveries that began Wednesday evening and ended with a search warrant at his residence.
According to the VVNG, a San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy pulled Perez over at approximately 6:43 p.m. Wednesday for a vehicle code violation. Perez was identified as the driver, and deputies determined he was a convicted felon. A search of his vehicle turned up a single round of ammunition, and he was detained without incident before being transported to the High Desert Detention Center.
Shoe Search Reveals Suspected Cocaine
Jail personnel booking Perez into custody discovered approximately one ounce of suspected cocaine concealed inside his shoe, according to authorities cited in the same report. That discovery, paired with the ammunition found during the traffic stop, gave deputies probable cause to seek a search warrant for a residence tied to Perez in the 21000 block of Lone Eagle Road in Apple Valley.
The Apple Valley Station Gang Enforcement Team assisted patrol deputies in serving that warrant. At the Lone Eagle Road home, deputies seized two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Four Felony Charges Filed
Perez was booked into the High Desert Detention Center and charged with four felonies: HS 11351 for possession of narcotics for sale, HS 11352(a) for transportation and sale of narcotics, PC 30305(a)(1) for a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, and PC 4573(a) for smuggling a controlled substance into a jail. He later posted bail and was released from custody, the station's report notes.
The possession-for-sale charge alone carries significant weight under state law. Under California Health and Safety Code Section 11351, possessing a controlled substance such as cocaine for sale is a straight felony carrying two, three, or four years in county jail and fines up to $20,000, according to Shouse Law Group, and the charge renders a defendant ineligible for drug diversion programs like Proposition 36 or Penal Code 1000.
The transportation count brings its own exposure. California Health and Safety Code Section 11352(a) classifies transporting narcotics for sale as a felony punishable by three, four, or five years in county jail and fines up to $20,000, per Eisner Gorin LLP. A 2014 amendment to that statute requires prosecutors to explicitly prove the narcotics were transported with intent to sell or distribute, rather than simply for personal use.
Jail Smuggling Charges Carry Separate Penalties
California Penal Code Section 4573(a) makes knowingly bringing a controlled substance into a custodial facility a straight felony punishable by two, three, or four years in state prison, according to the Eisner Gorin LLP legal team. The prosecution must prove the person knew the substance was present and knew its nature as a drug.
Apple Valley Policing and How to Report Tips
The Town of Apple Valley contracts its municipal law enforcement services to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, and Apple Valley encompasses roughly 72 square miles. Perez was held at the High Desert Detention Center.
Anyone with information about the investigation can contact the Apple Valley police station at (760) 240-7400 or sheriff's dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call or text the WeTip hotline at 844-909-3006, a tip line the county's sheriff's department relies on to gather investigative leads in local cases.
Open questions remain about Perez's underlying felony history, whether the firearms recovered from the residence were legally registered, and whether prosecutors will pursue additional weapons or gang enhancements as the case proceeds through San Bernardino County Superior Court.
