On Monday, October 31st, 2022, at 7:41 pm, a Turlock Police officer near QuikStop, 1260 Geer Rd, Turlock, observed a vehicle violate the California Vehicle Code, so he made a traffic stop on it.
The officer made contact with and identified the vehicle’s driver as David Mendes, 34, of Turlock.
When the officer had his dispatcher run Mendes, he returned to have a suspended driver’s license.
An inventory search of Mendes’ vehicle prior to it being towed was conducted which led to the discovery of a loaded handgun and narcotics.
Further inspection of the handgun revealed that it was what is commonly referred to as a ghost gun, meaning that it was self assembled and does not have a serial number, which essentially makes it untraceable.
Mendes was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded and operable firearm, owning a firearm or firearm precursor part that does not bear a valid serial number or mark of identification, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamines, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended driver’s license.
