Photo: George Pearson
At 1:00 AM on April 11, 2020, a black Saturn sedan with a mechanical violation prompted a Kings County Deputy Sheriff to run a registration check on the license plate.
The deputy made a traffic enforcement stop near Highway 33 and Merced Street when the license plate came back belonging to a completely different car, a 2002 Chrysler.
In the car were 38-year old George Pearson and Gracie Pulido. Pearson was driving even though his license had been suspended.
During the traffic stop, a K9 Unit from the Avenal Police Department arrived.
The K9 officer alerted his colleagues about possible narcotics in the vehicle. The officer and deputy searched the vehicle and found a Savage brand shotgun in the trunk.
The black, 12-gauge had been altered with a portion of its stock and barrel sawed off and serial numbers filed down.
Pearson claiming no knowledge of the loaded firearm in the trunk did not save him from arrest. Pearson has a felony conviction history which prohibits him from owning or possessing a firearm or ammunition. He was booked into the Kings County Jail with bail set at $85,000.
Photos from Kings County Sheriff’s Office
