Jose Hernandez, the oldest of the arrestees, 63
COACHELLA — In a major sweep focusing on gang violence across Coachella, a team of officers from multiple agencies made 25 arrests (mugshots here).
On Thursday, February 25, 2016, at about 6:00 AM officers from the Coachella Police Department and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, supported by additional Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers, began serving a series of search warrants in the city of Coachella and surrounding area. The search warrants were served at the residences of suspected gang members in an effort to address the rising gang violence in the city of Coachella.
Alex Ceballos, the youngest arrestee, 18
The operation was part of the Coachella Police Department’s periodically recurring “Operation Safe Coachella,” an ongoing effort to conduct proactive, preventive, and post-crime investigative operations to combat crime.
“Operation Safe Coachella 16.1” netted the arrest of 25 suspects (17-felonies & 8-misdemeanor arrests). Four firearms were recovered along with over three ounces of suspected methamphetamine, over a pound of suspected marijuana, and over ten-thousand dollars of US Currency.
According to Riverside Sheriff’s Department press release, the following individuals were arrested:
- Noe Castro, Age 33 of Coachella, arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine for Sale
- Arturo Aguilar, age 38, of Coachella, arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm
- Salvador Amezquita, age 21, of Coachella, arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm
- Richard Carmona, age 53, of Coachella, arrested for Possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia
- Alex Ceballos, age 18, of Coachella, arrested for vehicle theft and possession of a stolen vehicle
- Steven Benavidez, age 33, of Coachella, arrested for outstanding DUI warrant
- Manuel Jacquez, age 25, of Indio, arrested for Parolee at Large warrant
- Ray Carmona, age 21, of Coachella, arrested for traffic warrant
- Jose Hernandez, age 63, of Coachella, arrested for Possession of Drug paraphernalia
- Brandon Miramontes, age 20, of Indio, arrested for outstanding robbery warrant
- Augustine Lopez, age 24, of Coachella, arrested for outstanding robbery warrant and possession of firearm
- Bryanna Lopez, age 22, of Coachella, arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle
- Richard Moreno, age 25, of Coachella, arrested for marijuana for sales and child endangerment
- Sergio Morin, age 33, of Coachella, arrested for felon in possession of ammunition and drug paraphernalia.
- Jose Islas, age 37, of Indio, arrested for outstanding battery warrant
- Cirilo Vega, age 39, of Coachella, arrested for felon in possession of ammunition and violation of probation.
- Pedro Tomayo, age 23, of Coachella, arrested for possession of suspected cocaine
- Ralph Rivas, age 43, of Coachella, arrested for felon in possession of ammunition
- Pedro Morin, age 50, of Coachella, arrested for felon in possession of a firearm
- Martha Durinzi, age 29, of Coachella, arrested for parolee at large warrant
- Javier Taylor, age 31, of Thermal, arrested for outstanding felony burglary warrant
- Alejandro Reyes, age 41, of Indio, arrested for possession of heroin
- Richard Sanchez, age 28, of Desert Hot Springs, arrested for DUI warrant
- Gabriel Salazar, age 31, of La Quinta, arrested for possession of methamphetamine for sales
- Juan Mange, age 37, of Indio, arrested for possession of methamphetamine for sales
