February 4, 2023 - Merced – The Merced Police Department reported the following information.

On 2-3-23 at approximately 11:00 A.M., the Merced Police Departments Gang Violence Suppression Unit arrested a Los Banos man with two unserialized firearms.

On Friday, February 3 Officers with the Gang Violence Suppression Unit conducted a traffic stop near N. Mercy Springs Ave. in Los Banos. An occupant in the vehicle Jovante Cruz-Lopez (20) was arrested in possession of a loaded 9mm ghost gun.

The officers served a search warrant at Cruz-Lopez residence in the 400 block of N. Mercy Springs Ave. where they located a second 9mm ghost gun and ammunition. Cruz-Lopez was booked into the Merced County Jail for several firearm related charges.

Merced PD Case Number: 23-6109

Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this crime to contact Officer Arnulfo Centeno at 209-388-7742 or by email at CentenoA@CityofMerced.org.  

Other ways to contact us or report crime include:

For any emergency call or text 911

For non-emergency call 209-385-6912

Anonymous Tip Line (Non-emergency) call 209-385-4725

Anonymous Tips online at http://www.MercedAreaCrimeStoppers.org/index.html.

Some crimes can be reported online through the Merced PD website https://www.CityofMerced.org/departments/police.

Source & photo: Merced Police Department