5 suspected gang members arrested in ongoing gang crackdown in Santa Rosa
Five suspected gang members were arrested in Santa Rosa over the weekend, as the city continues to tackle its rising gang-related criminal activities.
Around 9:10 p.m. Sunday, an officer conducted a traffic stop near Hearn and Santa Rosa avenues for an alleged code violation. Two adults were in the car along with three juveniles in the backseat, police said.
Police allege they had probable cause to search the vehicle, where they allegedly uncovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic unserialized handgun, also known as a ghost gun. Police allege the gun was loaded with ten unexpended cartridges. Police also said they found things in the car associated with criminal street gangs.
Joseph Cervantes, 28, and David Dias, 18, were arrested on suspicion of participating in a criminal street gang, having a firearm while not being the registered owner, and carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. The juveniles in the car were also arrested on the same suspected crimes, along with being juveniles in possession of a firearm.
Santa Rosa has stepped up its criminal street gang enforcement in recent weeks. In December, Santa Rosa police said the number of juveniles arrested in possession of firearms soared 500 percent in 2023, and they blame the increase on gang violence.
Twenty-one youths were arrested for possessing guns in 2023, compared with just four in 2022. Five of Santa Rosa's nine homicides last year were gang-related, police said.
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