Traffic stop leads to gun bust

Two days and more than a half dozen charges later, a traffic stop in Victorville has landed a Hesperia man in jail, with a million dollars bail.

On Wednesday, May 7, Jose Lopez Jr., 33, was pulled over by members of the Victorville station's gang unit near the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Bear Valley Road. A search of his vehicle reportedly uncovered a stolen Glock 9 mm handgun, and Lopez, the only occupant of the vehicle, was arrested for possession of a stolen handgun, and booked at Victor Valley Jail.

Two days later, after Lopez was out on bail, the Victorville station gang unit and detective's bureau served a search warrant at his home on the 15900 block of Sequoia Avenue in Hesperia on Friday afternoon. Lopez was home at the time, along with two juveniles.

A search of his home allegedly turned up 13 firearms, ammunition, high capacity magazines, methamphetamine, marijuana and narcotics paraphernalia.

One of the firearms at the house had been reported stolen in a residential burglary, and three more firearms were classified as assault rifles.

Lopez was arrested for possession of a stolen firearm, possession of assault rifles, possession of methamphetamine for sale, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of a controlled substance while armed and child endangerment.

He was booked at Victor Valley Jail again, this time with bail set at $1 million.

Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.