May 28, 2023 - Merced – Merced Police Department officials report that on May 27, 2023, at approximately 10:30 A.M., the Merced Police Departments Gang Violence Suppression Unit served a search warrant and arrested a known gang member in possession of several firearms.

On May 27, 2023, Merced PD Gang Unit Officer Centeno received information that Jose Gutierrez (46), a known gang member, had access to several firearms in his home. Officers were able to stop Gutierrez leaving the home prior to serving a search warrant at his residence. While officers had him detained on the traffic stop, a family member Sukhkiran Kaur Cheema (23) arrived at the traffic stop to find out what was going on. Officers had a warrant for Cheema’s vehicle, and they located a loaded 9mm handgun next to her driver’s seat.

Officers went back to Gutierrez and Cheema’s home in the 2000 block of Chadala Ct. in Atwater. Upon serving a search warrant at the home, officers located a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a 45-caliber handgun unsecured.

Gutierrez was arrested for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, and he was booked into MCSO jail. Cheema was arrested and cited for possession of a concealed loaded firearm in a vehicle.

Merced PD Case Number: 23-27232

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