Photo: Arturo Gonzalez
September 19, 2020 – Ventura County
As if being under the influence of narcotics in public wasn’t dangerous enough, when 36-year- old Arturo Gonzalez created further disturbance to his Thousand Oaks neighbors by brandishing a loaded AR-15 assault rifle, he soon found himself in handcuffs.
The action started just after sunrise on the morning of September 18 th when, according to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Detective Ken Michaelson, neighbors contacted Thousand Oaks Patrol to report Gonzalez “armed with a rifle and hallucinating.”
Responding deputies quickly determined that Gonzalez “displayed strong symptomology indicating he was under the influence of a controlled substance.”
Stoned as he was, Gonzalez had the good sense to comply with deputies’ directions to “put down the rifle.” Once he did, he was promptly taken into custody. The rifle was quickly determined to be of illegal manufacture as deputies learned Gonzalez was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
Upon further investigation, deputies discovered Gonzalez had “fired off a shot” inside his own residence before his arrest and may have been in possession of additional prohibited weapons.
With that information in hand, deputies obtained a search warrant for Gonzalez’s residence and vehicle. The ensuing search lead to the seizure of “a loaded AK-47 rifle, numerous rounds of ammunition, a ballistic vest, a set of brass knuckles,” and two ounces of methamphetamine.
Gonazelez was transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on seven felony firearms and narcotics violations, with his bail set at $105,000.
Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking
