Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Four arrested with SKS and 20-gauge

Four Hope men were arrested June 27 after officers received a report of an on argument involving weapons at an area car wash. According to police reports, officers recovered an SKS rifle, a spent shell from that gun, and a Remington 20 gauge shotgun with a pistol grip.

David Bradford Jr., 21, 504 E. Dairy, Hope; and Tyrell Johnson, 21, 1116 Mack St., Hope; were each charged with possession of a defaced firearm. Emmanuel Rodgers, 18, 1602 W. Fifth St., Hope, was charged with illegal possession of a firearm.

A fourth man, Charles Martin, 20, 1505 Lee St., Hope, was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.

According to the report filed by Prescott Police Department Officer Danny Martin, he and PPD Officer Wesley Lovette responded to the call reporting that several men with weaons were arguing at a car wash on Highway 19 N. in Prescott. When Martin and Lovette arrived, Rogers reportedly sat down in the passenger seat of a vehicle parked in the car wash bay and was messing around with something in the floor area or under the passenger seat, Martin wrote in his report.

All three men reportedly told Martin that they didnt have any weapons and the driver of a Pontiac Sunfire gave the officers permission to search the vehicle, according to the report. The SKS was protruding from the floor mat of the passengers seat, the report states. The serial number had been removed from the gun, according to the report. Officers also discovered a magazine for the gun, though there was no indication whether there was also ammunition. After the discovery of the gun, all three men were placed under arrest.

Martin reported finding the 20-gauge shotgun in the trunk of a vehicle.

According to Martins report, all three men asked to talk to the arresting officers after being booked into the Nevada County Jail. Martins report indicates that all three were read their rights before they were allowed to make any statement. According to the report, Johnson said he knew nothing about the guns and that he had actually arrived at the car wash with another man in a separate car.

Bradford reportedly told Martin that he asked Johnson for a ride and that he had also met up with Rogers at the car wash. According to the report, Bradford claimed the shotgun recovered from the trunk, but said he knew nothing about the SKS rifle. Bradford has a prior felony conviction, prompting the charge of felony possession of a firearm.

Rogers reportedly told Martin that hed been with two other men at the car wash. According to Martins account of Rogers statement, those men had seen police cars arriving and had told Rogers to be sure the SKS was hidden in the floor of the car. According to Martins report, Rogers said he had nothing else to do with the weapons.

According to PPD Officer Danny Martins report, the man driving the second car at the car wash at the time of the incident was identified as Charles Martin. Officer Danny Martins report does not indicate he and Lovette arrested Charles Martin, but Martin was logged in at the Nevada County Jail at that same time as Bradford and was charged with possession of a concealed weapon.