Man found with knife, gun and drugs during Atwater traffic stop, police say

A traffic stop in Atwater landed a 53-year-old Merced man in jail after officers found a knife, gun and drugs in the car, police reported.

An Atwater police officer stopped a Mercury Villager with a missing window and no license plate light on Giannini Road just before midnight Saturday. Police searched the three occupants, including James Ronald Rabe, a Merced resident, Police Chief Samuel Joseph said in a news release.

Officers found a pocket knife and packaged drugs on Rabe. Rabe then informed officers he had a syringe loaded with methamphetamine and a gun in the car. Officers found a loaded .32-caliber River Johnson Arm’s revolver and the syringe in the car, Joseph said.

A passenger in the vehicle, Jammie Romo, 35, also had a pipe on her with methamphetamine residue, according to police. She was arrested on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rabe was booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a gun, drug possession and possession of a loaded gun. Rabe has been jailed multiple times since 2013 for drug possession and violating probation, booking records show.

He remained in jail Tuesday with bail set at $260,000, booking records show.

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 9:48 AM with the headline "Man found with knife, gun and drugs during Atwater traffic stop, police say."