OCEANO – When San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputies stopped the driver of an SUV for a vehicle code violation, they discovered the driver, Jesse Richard Wallace, was driving with a suspended license.   Soon after, a California State Parks ranger K9 team was called to assist deputies.  The State Parks K9 alerted to the vehicle, indicating the presence of narcotics.  At that point the vehicle was search and law enforcement officers found methamphetamine, heroin, drug paraphernalia and a loaded 9mm handgun with a high capacity pistol magazine.

“Vehicle stops always put law enforcement officers in harm’s way,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.  “State Parks rangers and K9s are called upon to assist local law enforcement officers when needed, and kudos to the team that identified the narcotics and assisted with taking a felon into custody.”

Wallace faces several charges including possession of a controlled substance for sale, a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a loaded firearm.