Drugs, rifles, pistols and ‘ghost guns’ seized during arrest of Merced man, say feds
A Merced man is potentially facing decades in prison after his arrest for being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession of narcotics with intent to distribute.
Johnathan Eldon Moss Jr., 35, was detained Thursday for the two‑count federal indictment charge, according to a Friday news release by the U.S. Department of Justice
Moss has prior felony convictions for firearms and drug-related offenses, domestic violence and stalking, the release said. He is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to those convictions.
Being a felon in possession of ammunition charge could carry a statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if Moss is convicted, the release said. The narcotics possession offense could add up to 30 years in prison, due to Moss’s prior felony drug convictions. That conviction could also come with a $2 million fine.
The charges follow a search by officers of Moss’s home and vehicle, according to the release. Officers allegedly discovered a number of illicit items during the search.
Those items are said to include several unmarked, privately made firearms known as “ghost guns,” hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity rifle and pistol magazines, a high-capacity speed loader for rifle magazines, a ledger showing weapons and ammunition sold, a body armor vest, cocaine, psilocybin and a total of $10,990 in cash.
The case is the product of an joint investigation by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Tactical and Reconnaissance (STAR) Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET) and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Massey, the case is part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. According to the release, PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.
“PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime,” the release said. “As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.”
The program leverages a spectrum of stakeholders to work together and identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community, as well as develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
