Three Arrested in Loma Linda on Suspicion of Drugs, Weapons Violations

Loma Linda Police arrested three men on Sunday they suspected of being under the influence of drugs and who were reportedly carrying weapons in their vehicle.

Andres Ramirez, 20, of Loma Linda, Jose Cortez-Palacios, 20, of Highland, and Jose Salinas, 20, who police said was as a transient, were arrested and booked into a county jail.

Police came in contact with the men about 3:30 p.m. April 21 during a traffic stop near Evans Street and Alamitos Avenue. Officers said the three men inside the vehicle appeared to be under the influence.

A suspicious officer searched the vehicle and said that a loaded .357 caliber revolver handgun was found on the rear seat of the vehicle, inside a child's car seat. No children were in the car at the time, officers said.

Deputies also located a replica .44 caliber handgun under the front passenger seat along with various boxes of ammunition for other guns, officials said. Police searched the men and said they found a small useable amount of methamphetamine on Andres and Ramirez.

All three are accused of being under the influence of drugs at the time, officers said. Salinas is a self-admitted member of an Ontario criminal street gang, according to officers.

Ramirez and Cortez were on Community supervision release required by the passage of the AB 109 program, according to police. The Assembly Bill is a law enacted to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring that some 32,000 prisoners be cut from the prison population.

Ramirez had been released from custody less then 24 hours prior to this arrest.