Photo: gun and ammo
Originally published as a Riverside Police Department Facebook post –
“Early this morning around 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, two of our Watch A officers patrolling the area of La Sierra Avenue and the 91 Freeway made a traffic stop on a dark gray Mercedes Benz. As one of the officers was conducting a patdown search on the male passenger, he felt a handgun in his waistband.
The passenger began resisting the officer’s attempt to detain him and tried to run away. The gun fell to the ground but the officers overcame the passenger’s violent struggle and placed him into custody.
Although he initially lied about his true identity, the officers later determined exactly who the passenger was. A records check revealed he is a documented gang member out of Los Angeles and convicted felon.
Several of those past felony convictions were for illegal possession of a firearm, and he was currently wanted on a felony warrant out of Long Beach for being a felon in possession of a firearm, along with other charges. The gun he illegally possessed this morning was a loaded Glock-style Polymer 80 semi-automatic handgun which did not have a serial number.
Leonard Michael Martinez, 36-years-old of Los Angeles County, was arrested and later booked into jail for several weapons violations, resisting arrest using violence, false impersonation, and the outstanding warrants. He is being held in custody without bail.
This dangerous gang member from Los Angeles is no longer a threat to our community thanks to the proactive police work by our officers keeping watch at night. Great work!”
