Police recovered an unregistered firearm and numerous illegal “high-capacity” magazines, as well as narcotics, during a traffic stop earlier this week, according to authorities.
A Morgan Hill police officer was patrolling the area of Butterfield Boulevard and Jarvis Drive when he came across a suspicious vehicle, reads a post on the MHPD Facebook page. The social media post did not provide the date and time of the incident.
When the officer made contact with the driver—identified as Richard Vallarta, 26—he became aware of Vallarta’s “evasive demeanor” and called for backup, police said.
Vallarta was driving alone at the time of the stop.
As more officers arrived the investigating officer found an unregistered, loaded semi-automatic handgun with a high-capacity magazine, as well as narcotics and paraphernalia indicative of methamphetamine and heroin use, plus additional high-capacity magazines.
Vallarta was booked at Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of multiple felony charges.
