Two convicted of gun charges, including Turlock man found with marijuana and explosive

Two Stanislaus County men on Monday pleaded guilty to gun possession charges in federal court, including a Turlock man found earlier this year with an inert 60 mm mortar round.

On March 6, Daniel Sandoval-Arce, 42, was found at a house in the 1000 block of Carrousel Court in Turlock. Along with seven guns — including an illegal assault rifle — investigators found more than 300 marijuana plants being grown inside the house.

Sandoval-Arce pleaded guilty to being an undocumented immigrant in possession of a gun, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento. Sandoval-Arce is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 7 by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd.

Authorities went to the home to serve a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation. After investigators discovered the military-grade mortar, officers evacuated homes near Summerfaire Park.

The Stanislaus County sheriff’s Bomb Squad was called to remove the mortar from the home. There were no explosions or injuries reported.

The federal case against Sandoval-Arce is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Turlock Police Department.

In a separate case, Miguel Saldate, 42, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a gun. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14 by U.S. Chief District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill.

Federal prosecutors said police officers searched Saldate’s house and saw him drop a gun near a shed. This case is a result of an investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

This story was originally published October 17, 2018 at 2:32 PM.