Meth and stolen gun seized during Atwater traffic stop, police say

Police arrested a man in Atwater this week they said had about 7 grams of methamphetamine as well as a pipe, officers said on Tuesday.

An officer stopped a white truck about 10:40 a.m. Monday in the 2100 block of First Street in Atwater after the Merced driver failed to stop at a stop sign, police said.

The driver, 38-year-old Jose Lucas Barron Nava, consented to let police search his truck, officers said. Inside was a .357 revolver, which had been reported stolen last year, police said.

Police also found 7 grams of a controlled substance believed to be methamphetamine, police said. Several shaved ignition keys, ammunition and a license plate reported stolen were also inside, police said.

Barron Nava was arrested and booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of transportation of a controlled substance, possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property and carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle, according to police.

He's held in lieu of $223,206 bail, according to jail records.

This story was originally published April 24, 2018 at 12:49 PM with the headline "Meth and stolen gun seized during Atwater traffic stop, police say."