POMONA - Equipment violations led officers to discover a loaded unregistered firearm tucked under the driver seat of a vehicle driven by a known gang member Saturday, the Pomona Police Department said.

Johnny Richardson, a 19-year-old Pomona resident, was arrested after officers discovered the weapon and learned of his identity.

Richardson was stopped around 6:18 p.m. in the area of Holt Avenue and Clark Avenue February 11.

Richardson was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition, being in possession of an unregistered firearm and being a criminal street gang member carrying a loaded firearm.

Richardson posted $35,000 bond and was released Monday, February 13 at 7:22 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records.

POMONA – A man accused of membership in a gang responsible for recent gun violence where an officer was fired upon and a triple shooting that left a man dead was jailed April 4, the Pomona Police Department said.

Pomona man Joshua “Green Eyes” Perez, 21, will be seeing red after he was booked on suspicion of resisting a peace officer, brandishing a firearm, possessing a leaded and unregistered firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition for his antics Monday.

Around 8 p.m. Monday, Pomona officers were called to Angela Street and Chanslor Street after an anonymous tip of a man in a moving vehicle brandishing a handgun at people. A search yielded a suspect vehicle: a white car being driven recklessly. The driver ran a stop sign and abruptly stopped, allowing one occupant to run, according to the Pomona Police Department.

A man and woman remained in the vehicle. They were detained by officers while a containment search was setup to find Perez.

Officers responded to the 2000 block of Pinehurst Drive on a prowler report and found Perez attempting to hide on someone’s property. Perez was found with a loaded handgun, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The other man in the vehicle, 32-year-old Rancho Cucamonga man David Lazaro, was booked on suspicion of a probation violation related to a no-bail warrant, the Pomona Police Department said.

POMONA – Police announced the arrest of a Pomona man accused of pulling the trigger in a recent murder.

Gonzalo Avila, 40, was arrested March 26 by members of the Pomona Police Special Investigations Unit and Major Crimes Task Force. He was booked on suspicion of murder in the shooting of 29-year-old Anastasio Ezequiel Miranda from San Bernardino, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Miranda was gunned down and left for dead in the south alley behind 420 E. Olive Ave. March 23. Officers were called to the scene around 1:15 p.m.

Avila, identified as a local gang member, is also accused of trying to gun down two others. The two surviving victims were hospitalized.

Avila was found in San Dimas with the assistance of the Fontana Police Department. An arrest warrant was written and Avila was taken into custody, the Pomona Police Department said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm against Avila.

Anyone with additional information that can aid the investigation is urged to call the Pomona Police Department at 909-622-1241. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org.

POMONA – A traffic stop for expired registration tabs unveiled a gang banger transporting drugs, a gun and ammunition, the Pomona Police Department said.

A patrol officer, along with his trainee, made the traffic stop March 16 in the area of Seventh Street and White Avenue around 1:26 a.m. The driver was also found to be driving with a suspended license, according to the Pomona Police Department.

A backup officer arrived and recognized the driver, Rudy Woo, as an active gang member.

“The Officer knew Woo to be an active gang member, convicted felon, on probation, and out on bail from two previous arrests. Based on Woo’s probationary status, Officers explained to him that his car was subject to search, at which point, Woo admitted to possessing a loaded firearm in the car,” according to the Pomona Police Department in a written statement.

Officers also found multiple handgun magazines, ammunition suspected methamphetamine and marijuana, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Woo, 43, was booked on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance with a firearm, possession of a controlled substance for sales, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a loaded & unregistered firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

POMONA – Four loaded handguns were seized after police detained four men Wednesday night in a residential neighborhood.

The arrests and seizure of the weapons were possible after a caller reported gang activity in the 600 block of Roderick Avenue around 8:42 p.m. January 19. Some of the men arrested were documented gang members, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The Pomona Police Department did not state which of the arrestees were identified as gang members.

The location was the scene of a recent drive-by shooting, the Pomona Police Department said.

With the help of additional officers, the four men, who were also drinking in publicin and around parked vehicles, were detained. A search of the men and the associated vehicle uncovered the four loaded handguns, the Pomona Police Department said.

Arrested were:

• Joseph Abel Diaz DeLeon, a 22-year-old Covina man
• Amarionte Deshawn Wright, an 18-year-old Pomona man
• Noah Jay Williams, a 19-year-old Pomona man
• Kamron Keese, a 25-year-old Victorville man

All were booked on suspicion of possessing a loaded/unregistered firearm. Diaz was additionally booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

Keese had an outstanding warrant for attempted murder from San Bernardino County, the Pomona Police Department said.

POMONA – Two gang members were jailed after fleeing officers on a pursuit through Pomona streets November 5.

Officers attempted to stop the driver for speeding and for having expired tags in the 2400 block of Chanselor Street around 12:40 p.m. When officers caught up to the vehicle, they recognized the occupants as local gang members, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The driver, identified as 34-year-old Sergio “Silent” Pinon, fled from officers. He stopped briefly to let his passenger, Juan “Lazy” Rosales, out of the vehicle to flee on foot, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Rosales was detained by police.

“The suspect driver continued to evade Officers, but eventually abandoned his car and fled on foot as well. The suspect driver was found hiding within an apartment complex laundry room,” according to the Pomona Police Department in a written statement.

A search of the vehicle Pinon drove revealed a loaded firearm which the suspect admitted to owning, Pomona Police said.

Pinon, a San Bernardino man, was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition and felony evading police.

Pinion is being held in lieu of $75,000 in the Pomona Police jail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pomona Superior Court November 9.

POMONA – A parolee and his driver were arrested and a gun that one of the suspects attempted to discard was seized after the suspects fled police Wednesday.

Driver Salvador Ortiz, 26, and parolee and documented gang member Christian Ayala, 24, were both arrested Ortiz refused to yield for a traffic stop. Police with the department’s Major Crimes Task Force reportedly witnessed Ortiz run a stop sign, according to the Pomona Police Department.

The stop sign violation occurred in the area of Grand Avenue and Reservoir Street around 9:48 p.m. July 7. Ortiz also suspiciously drove too close to vehicles parked along the street, Pomona Police said.

As he fled, Ortiz allegedly drove up on a sidewalk as he turned south onto Reservoir Street. Ayala allegedly tossed a handgun from the vehicle during the pursuit, Pomona Police said.

Ortiz briefly stopped to allow Ayala to flee on foot, but both men were soon caught.

Ayala was booked on suspicion of a parole violation, being a gang member in possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a loaded and unregistered firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition. A gang enhancement was also added, Pomona Police said.

Ortiz was booked on suspicion of felony evading police.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - A gun was recovered after a driver led police on a chase December 9.

19-year-old Sebastian Rico allegedly refused to stop for police after he committed several vehicle code violations at Holt Avenue and White Avenue just before 7 p.m., Pomona Police said.

During the chase, a handgun was tossed from the vehicle, Pomona Police said.

Rico, a documented Pomona gang member, was arrested and booked on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm, being a gang member in possession of a loaded firearm and possessing a loaded & unregistered firearm.

The arrest was made by members of the Pomona Police Major Crimes Task Force.

POMONA – A wanted man considered armed and dangerous was caught in a Pomona park October 20.

The suspect, 29-year-old Ernie Castro of Highland, tussled with officers who ran after him when he decided to flee and detained him for suspicious activity. During the foot chase, Castro ditched what was later discovered to be a replica handgun and also possessed a dagger and machete, according to the Pomona Police Department.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

POMONA - At least two gunmen opened fire on three teenagers congregating in an empty business parking lot Saturday evening, a Pomona police lieutenant said.

Officers discovered the three wounded teens all fled to different locations after the shooting, which took place in the 1600 block of East Holt Avenue around 6:46 p.m. October 10. The teens were in the empty parking lot when a vehicle was driven up to them and the suspects open fire, according to Lt. Ryan Rodriguez of the Pomona Police Department.

The male teens, who ranged in age from 14 to 16 years old, were hospitalized with injuries considered not life-threatening, Rodriguez told SGV CityWatch.

The suspects fled in a light-colored four-door sedan.