Santa Rosa police seize over 165 firearms, arrest suspected ghost gun manufacturer
By Tim Fang
A Sonoma County man has been arrested on multiple weapons charges after police seized more than 150 firearms from two homes as part of an investigation into the illegal manufacturing of guns.
According to Santa Rosa police, 22-year-old Joshua Penuelas of Cloverdale was detained during a traffic stop around 5:15 a.m. Tuesday without incident. The department’s Property Crimes Investigations Team was investigating Penuelas for suspected illegal firearms manufacturing and sales.
During the traffic stop, police said they found a loaded handgun concealed in his waistband.
Around 5:20 a.m., a search warrant was served at a Cloverdale home where Penuelas resides part time with a woman and a young child. A search of the home yielded 36 firearms.
Police said many of the guns were loaded, unsecured and were “easily accessible” to the child. Privately manufactured high-capacity magazines, a 3D printer and materials believed to be associated with manufacturing firearms were also found.
Authorities removed the firearms from the home. The child was able to remain in the woman’s custody, police said.
Around 5:45 a.m., a warrant was served at another Cloverdale home belonging to a relative of Penuelas, where he also lived part-time. Police said they seized additional firearms, high-capacity magazines, two 3D printers and materials, along with a laptop believed to be associated with illegal firearms manufacturing.
In total, 157 handguns, 10 assault weapons, more than 20 high-capacity magazines and three 3D printers were recovered, according to police.
Penuelas was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Jail. He is accused of multiple weapons violations, including 150 counts of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, 10 counts of manufacturing and sales of assault weapons, 17 counts of manufacturing of high-capacity magazines.
Police said Penuelas is also accused of possessing a loaded firearm in public, possessing a concealed firearm and felony child endangerment.
