19-year-old loses his freedom on Independence Day for shoplifting, drug possession, resisting arrest
According to the Los Banos Police Department’s website seven arrests were made, and the following police calls for service occurred in the city from Sunday through Saturday, July 3-9, 2022. There were reports of six stolen vehicles; seven assaults – six for domestic violence; three burglaries – one commercial and two vehicles; 60 calls for disturbing the peace many for loud parties (people, turn the music down!); 16 reports of thefts including four from vehicles and two for shoplifting; and six reports of vandalism including two to vehicles and one for graffiti/ tagging.
Arrests
A total of eight arrests were made in Los Banos during the week.
On Monday, July 4 at 10:59 a.m., David Gaona Medina, age 19, was arrested in the 2000 block of Rail Trail for petty theft – shoplifting.
Commander Ray Reyna provided additional details about the arrest. “On July 4th at approximately 9:54 a.m., Officer Cody May and Officer Juan Soriano responded to the ARCO gas station on E. Pacheco Blvd. regarding a theft. The clerk reported a male suspect, later identified as Medina, entered the store and stole several food items from the business without paying.
Officers located the male suspect a short time later on S. Place Road and attempted to stop him. Medina attempted to run from the officers on foot, but he was caught after a short chase. Medina still had some of the stolen property in his possession and he was also in possession of suspected methamphetamine. Medina was booked into the LBPD jail for petty theft, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance.”
On Wednesday, July 6 at 12:22 p.m., 29-year-old Melvin Swepson was arrested in the 1300 Block of San Luis Street for a misdemeanor parole violation.
Also, on July 6 at 10:32 p.m., 31-year-old Lawrence Norbert Arechiga was arrested at 4th and J Streets for DUI.
Three arrests were made on Thursday, July 7. First, at 12:58 a.m., 40-year-old Joseph Paul Amaro was arrested in the 1700 block of E. Pacheco Blvd. on multiple charges including: giving false ID to police, false pretenses/ swindle/ confidence game, battery of a spouse/ ex-spouse/ date/ etc. and two outstanding warrants, one for a felony, the other for a misdemeanor. According to localcrimenews.com, Amaro was also arrested in January 2014 by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, then again, in May 2021 for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.
Joshua Matthew Evans, age 25, was also arrested on July 7 at 10:15 a.m. by Merced Police for first degree robbery. According to localcrimenews.com, he has a history of arrests dating back to 2016, including by the Merced County Sheriff’s Department for street terrorism, vandalism of $5,000 or more and possession of drug paraphernalia; three times in 2017 by Antioch Police for possession of a controlled substance, receiving stolen property – motor vehicle and auto theft, as well as robbery and assault with a deadly weapon or assault with force likely to cause great bodily harm; five times in 2018 by the Merced County Sheriff’s Department and Merced Police for driving without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, auto theft and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant; in 2019 by the Merced County Sheriff’s Department on a warrant/hold; and twice in 2021, once by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department for possession of a controlled substance, contempt of court: disobeying a court order/ process, conspiracy to commit a crime, carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and shoplifting; then by Merced Police for disobeying a domestic relations court order, driving without a license, and evasion – wanton disregard for safety.
The third person arrested in Los Banos on July 7 was 40-year-old Antonio Jose Contreras at 3:35 p.m. at Home Depot on a bench warrant for a failure to appear on a misdemeanor charge.
On Friday, July 8 at 11:16 p.m. 32-year-old Crystal Monique Ramirez was arrested in the 100 block of N. Santa Rita Street for an outside misdemeanor warrant.
Finally, on Saturday, July 9 at 2:13 a.m., 53-year-old Raul Barros Aguirre was arrested in the 100 block of W. Pacheco Blvd. for DUI and an outside misdemeanor warrant.