Santa Rosa candidate Alvarez facing weapons charge

<p>Santa Rosa City Council candidate Eddie Alvarez has a misdemeanor weapons charge pending in Sonoma County Superior Court.</p><p>Alvarez, 32, was arrested by Rohnert Park police shortly before 1 a.m. May 26 as he was driving away in his mother’s car from a Rohnert Park nightspot. </p><p>Police searched the vehicle after Alvarez was unable to provide identification and found a small amount of marijuana on the carpeting and an unloaded .45 Ruger handgun registered to Alvarez in a back-door side compartment.</p><p>Alvarez was booked into Sonoma County Jail on misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of a concealed weapon.</p><p>The marijuana charge was quickly dismissed after Alvarez, who describes himself as a “self-medicator,” produced a doctor’s prescription to use medicinal marijuana due to a back injury he suffered two years ago.</p><p>Alvarez’s attorney, Ken Beyries of Santa Rosa, said a settlement conference is set for Oct. 17 to decide, in conjunction with the District Attorney’s Office, whether to dismiss the weapons charge or go to trial. </p><p>Beyries said it was Alvarez’s brother who had put the gun in the car without his knowledge.</p><p>Alvarez, who operates a jewelry business, said he has applied for a concealed-weapons permit. He is one of 15 candidates competing for Santa Rosa’s City Council.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Mike McCoy at 521-5276 or mike.mccoy@pressdemocrat.com.</p>