Cmdr. Tom Martin of the Merced Police Department said Bernadette C. Martinez, 31, of Merced was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Martin said Martinez was arrested Tuesday at 3:51 p.m. in the 1800 block of D Street as officers of the department's Gang Violence Suppression Unit were conducting a probation search.
While in Martinez's bedroom, officers found a plastic bag containing meth, along with a pipe used to smoke meth.
Martin said officers located two of Martinez's children in the home. A 4-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl were placed in the care of a neighbor by the mutual agreement of Martinez.
Martinez said she had not used meth for several months. She had video surveillance cameras set up in the home and told officers they were used to catch potential burglars. The cameras were view-only and did not record. Officers felt they were used to notify Martinez when officers came to the home, Martin said.
In a separate incident, Miguel Guizar, 23, of Merced was arrested Tuesday at 8:35 a.m. at 27th and G streets on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, parole violation and misdemeanor arrest warrants.
Dawn Sanchez, 31, of Merced was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving a vehicle with expired registration and possession of altered checks. Both were booked into Merced County Jail.
Martin said Officer Rogelio Rodriguez saw a white 1985 Ford Escort north on G Street with registration tags that expired five years ago.
Guizar, the passenger, was making quick movements inside the car and was reaching under the seat. Guizar was removed from the car and detained. Sanchez was detained as well.
Martin said a search under the front seat turned up brass knuckles and a class ring that did not belong to Sanchez or Guizar. Two women's rings were also found there. Guizar was wearing another class ring that did not belong to him. He was wearing other rings, bracelets and earrings.
In a black fanny pack found under the seat officers found a number of syringes and a spoon used to cook drugs prior to injection. Also found was a small amount of methamphetamine, Martin said.
Officers located checks in the car that were made out to Sanchez. She said she knew the checks were no good and a friend whose name she could not provide made them for her.
Officers are seeking the owners of the jewelry believed to be stolen.
In another incident, Johnnie Garcia, 22, of Merced was apprehended on felony and misdemeanor arrest warrants and charges of brandishing a firearm and providing a false name to a police officer.
Garcia and a 14-year-old Riverside girl were arrested at 2:43 p.m. Monday. The girl was charged with providing a false name to a police officer.
Officer Salvador Mejia was called to the 1700 block of East 22nd Street to investigate a theft. During the investigation a 14-year-old Merced boy came to Mejia and told him he had just had a gun pointed at him.
He said a man, over 6 feet tall and weighing more than 250 pounds, was wearing a red shirt and sporting a cut over his eyebrow and had just pointed a chrome and black handgun at him.
A number of witnesses to the incident were present as well. They told Mejia they had just seen the man walking down the street and into the 1700 block alleyway of East 22nd Street.
Mejia drove into the alleyway and contacted five young people with one, Garcia, matching the description provided by witnesses and the victim.
Two of the group were male and three were female. All five were detained at gunpoint. Other officers arrived and the group were detained. The victim arrived and identified Garcia as the man that had pointed the gun at him at Keeley Avenue and East 21st Street, Martin said.
The victim told officers he was walking to the corner store at Keeley Avenue with friends when Garcia and another person ran up to them and pulled off their shirts. Garcia then said to him "what's up now?" and pointed the gun at him. The victim ran into the store and told the clerk what had happened to him.
Associate Editor Doane Yawger can be reached at 209-385-2485 or dyawger@mercedsun-star.com.
