Los Banos man kept loaded gun and meth near children, police say

A Los Banos man was in custody Monday after allegedly brandishing a firearm, the Los Banos Police Department reported.

The victim told police 45-year-old Richard Valencia had a firearm on Sunday in the 200 block of G Street, according to police.

Officers found Valencia in his front yard and conducted a pat-down search, policed said. They found a loaded magazine for a handgun, police said.

As a convicted felon, Valencia is not supposed to have ammunition, police said. Inside his home, police said, was a loaded handgun and about 10 grams of methamphetamine packaged for sale.

The gun and drugs were within reach of four children at the home, police said. Valencia was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substance for sales and child endangerment.

He's held in lieu of $290,000 bail, jail records show.

This story was originally published April 30, 2018 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Los Banos man kept loaded gun and meth near children, police say."