Santa Rosa police arrest teen in ‘ghost gun’ discovery

A traffic stop Sunday in Santa Rosa led to the discovery of a loaded “ghost gun” and the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect police connected with the firearm, officials said.

During the traffic stop, which happened in the area of West Steele Lane and Apache Street at about 8 p.m., an officer learned that the three people inside the vehicle had marijuana vaporizers, according to an announcement from the Santa Rosa Police Department.

The driver and one of the passengers were 17 years old and the second passenger was 18, police said. Marijuana possession is illegal for anyone younger than 21 in California.

The officer seized the vaporizers and searched the vehicle, finding the gun in a satchel on the floorboard where the rear passenger had been sitting, according to police. The Polymer80 gun had no serial number and was loaded with 16 bullets.

So-called “ghost guns” can be built at home from kits ordered online and, because they have no serial numbers, they can’t be traced.

The 17-year-old who had been sitting closest to the gun was booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of possession of a non-serialized firearm, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a concealed firearm, all felonies.

Police said the three teenagers “were educated on California marijuana laws as opposed to being charged" for having the vaporizers.

You can reach Staff Writer Matt Pera at matthew.pera@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @Matt__Pera.