RIVERSIDE: Citizen’s tip leads to weapons, arrests
Christian Morales was arrested after he was found in possession of a concealed weapon.
RIVERSIDE – Two people were arrested for weapons violations in the 4400 block of Daniel Drive of Riverside Tuesday, Oct. 25. The pair was arrested by Riverside police officers in a quiet, residential neighborhood, located between Challen and El Dorado Parks.
Riverside police officers were dispatched to the area shortly after 6 p.m., after a citizen called 911 regarding four people inside a vehicle who were possibly involved in narcotics sales.
When officers arrived, they saw a male holding an object that appeared to be a handgun. Officers drew their weapons and ordered the man to drop the object, which turned out to be a flashlight shaped like a handgun.
An officer conducted a pat down search of the man who had been holding the flashlight and discovered a loaded handgun in his sweatshirt pocket.
Officers safely detained the armed man, along with another man and two women from the vehicle. Officers determined the man armed with the gun was on felony probation for weapons and narcotic violations.
Delia Mendoza was arrested for possession of a concealed weapon inside a vehicle.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located an additional loaded handgun.
Based on their investigation, officers arrested Christian Morales, 20, of Riverside, and Delia Irene Mendoza, 23, of Apple Valley. The pair was later booked into Robert Presley Detention Center for various weapons and probation violations.
A jail record search revealed Morales was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, being a felon in possession of ammunition and violation of probation. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and is scheduled to be seen at the Riverside Hall of Justice Oct 28.
Mendoza was booked on suspicion of possession of a concealed firearm inside a vehicle. She was cited and released a few hours later and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall of Justice Dec. 15.
Anyone with information regarding this incident and arrests is encouraged to contact Riverside Police Department officials at (951) 786-5700. Callers can refer to incident file number P16-197089 and can remain anonymous.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.