Gun found in Ceres girl’s closet during warrant search

A Ceres mother was arrested Wednesday morning when officers found a loaded handgun in her 10-year-old daughter’s bedroom closet.

Officers had a search warrant for the home in the 1300 block of Tyrus Street, northeast of Hatch and Herndon roads, because last week officers responded to a report of a man firing a gun into the air, according to Sgt. Jose Berber.

They found three men inside the garage of the home and witnessed one of them putting something in a garbage can on the side of the house. He matched the description witnesses gave of the man firing a gun in the air, Berber said.

When officers approached the men they became confrontational and uncooperative with orders to show their hands.

After a struggle, officers detained Gabriel Martinez 22, of Redding; Irvin Rubio, 27, of Modesto and Joseph Tarango, 28, of Waterford.

An officer searched the garbage can where Tarango had been seen hiding something. The officer located a black semi-automatic pistol loaded with 10 rounds. A stolen Smith and Wesson .44 Caliber handgun from Modesto was recovered from inside the garage.

Officers also found spent shell casings and a small plastic baggie containing a narcotic lying on the garage floor.

The men were arrested on suspicion of discharging a firearm and obstructing an officer. Rubio was additionally arrested on suspicion of possessing a stolen handgun.

Ceres Police Detectives followed up on the case and at 7 a.m. Wednesday served a search warrant at the home.

Detectives discovered a loaded .357 semi-automatic handgun in the 10-year-old girl’s closet. A 4-year-old boy also lives in the home.

The children’s mother, 26-year-old Crystal Martinez, was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, Berber said, because the loaded handgun was accessible to the children.

The children were released to the custody of a family member.

Ceres Police encourage anyone with information on the case to call Ceres Police Detectives Unit at (209) 538-5672.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Gun found in Ceres girl’s closet during warrant search."