Santa Rosa Convicted Felon Arrested for Alleged Unlawful Possession of Firearm & Silencer
Photo: Nicholas Hayes’ cache of weapons
Originally published as a Santa Rosa Police Facebook post:
“In July 2022, detectives from the Santa Rosa Police Department Property Crimes Team began an investigation into a suspected firearms trafficker within Santa Rosa. Through a thorough investigation, detectives identified Nicholas Hayes, a 36-year-old Santa Rosa resident, as the suspect. Hayes is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous felony conviction.
Detectives developed information the suspect was importing illegal firearms parts to Santa Rosa from outside the United States. Property Crimes detectives authored a search warrant for Hayes and his residence. On July 19, 2022, at 6:45 p.m., SRPD officers and detectives contacted Hayes in front of his residence in the 1900-block of Grace Drive, Santa Rosa. Hayes was detained outside of his residence while detectives served the warrant.
During the warrant service, detectives located multiple firearm suppressors, ammunition of various calibers, two assault weapons with no serial numbers, three semi-auto “ghost guns,” and 21 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Additionally, at the time of his detention, Hayes was in possession of a concealed dagger and expandable baton.
Hayes was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail for the following charges:
29800(a)(1) PC – (Felony) Prohibited Person w/ Firearm – [5 counts]
30305(a) PC – (Felony) Prohibited Person w/ Ammunition
11370.1 HS – (Felony) Possession of Firearms w/ Narcotics
30605 PC – (Felony) Possession of an Assault Weapon [2 counts]
33410 PC – (Felony) Possession of a Silencer [2 counts]
33215 PC – (Felony) Possession of Short Barreled Rifle
22210 PC – (Felony) Possession of an Expandable Baton
21310 PC – (Felony) Carry Concealed Dirk / Dagger
In recent years, numerous “ghost guns” have been seized by Santa Rosa Police Officers and have been used in numerous violent crimes within Sonoma County. The Santa Rosa Police Department is committed to reducing violent crime by investigating individuals engaged in the illicit manufacture and/or sales of privately made firearms.”
