Traffic stop leads to arrest for alleged possession of machine gun
Photo: Confiscated gun
Originally published as a Santa Rosa Police Department Nixle post:
“On 7/31/2022, at approximately 12:10 AM, a Sergeant from the Santa Rosa Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 400 block of Sebastopol Road for a vehicle driving recklessly by spinning “donuts.” Upon detaining the driver, Luis Angel Varela, for reckless driving, he was found in possession of a 9mm polymer “ghost gun.” The firearm was equipped with a loaded 30-round high capacity magazine, a “glock switch” making the firearm fully automatic and by definition a “machine gun,” and a threaded barrel.
Varela was not a convicted felon, however, he was on misdemeanor probation out of Sonoma County for battery. Varela was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Varela is a 21-year-old Santa Rosa resident. Varela was taken into custody and booked at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Center for the following charges:
25850(c)(6) PC – Possession of loaded firearm not registered
25400(a)(1) PC – Possession of loaded firearm in a vehicle
29805(a)(1) PC – Gun Possession Within 10 Year of Certain Misdemeanor conviction
29815(a) PC – Gun Possession in Violation of Probation Condition
32625(a) PC – Possession of Machine Gun
32625(b) PC – Conversion/Manufacture/Sale of Machine Gun
1203.2 PC – Violation of probation
23103(a) CVC – Reckless driving
14601.5(a) CVC – Drive on a suspended driver’s license.
Varela’s vehicle was impounded for 30-days.”
