Atwater man, 23, arrested for firearm trafficking, Sheriff’s Office says
An Atwater man has been arrested for firearm trafficking, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
Bryan Sebastian Merino, 23, was arrested Nov. 26 after authorities found 12 firearms during the searches of two properties, one in Atwater and one in Livingston.
Seven rifles, five handguns, several magazines and ammunition were located, the Facebook post said.
One search was made at a residence on the 2400 block of Sultana Drive in Atwater. The other was made at a residence on the 900 block of Montelena Court in Livingston.
Detectives executing the warrants were assisted by the Merced sheriff’s SWAT team and Merced County probation, the post said.
Merino was booked into the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Jail for the manufacture, sale, or possession of an undetectable firearm and possession of an assault weapon, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The guns were both undetectable (privately manufactured) and stolen, and one was converted into a machine gun, the post said.
Anyone with information regarding this case can call Detective Joseph Royel at 209-385-7472. Callers may remain anonymous.
