Gilroy Police arrested an alleged gang member, wanted on multiple warrants for previous crimes, during a traffic stop in Morgan Hill Oct. 31, according to authorities.
Jose Zaragoza, 26, had eight warrants for his arrest. He was recently sentenced to three years in jail and released from custody with a promise that he would turn himself in to fulfill his sentence, according to a Facebook post on the Gilroy Police Department page.
However, Zaragoza did not turn himself in as he promised, police said. He evaded capture on several occasions.
A Gilroy police officer discovered Zaragoza’s whereabouts, and the department’s Anti-Crime Team assisted with the investigation, police said. Zaragoza was located and arrested the morning of Oct. 31 while driving on US 101 near Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill.
During his arrest, Zaragoza was in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun that had been stolen in Las Vegas, police said.
Zaragoza’s arrest warrants—which were issued in three different counties—were for several crimes including spousal abuse, violating a domestic violence restraining order, false imprisonment, resisting arrest, violation of probation for a DUI charge and driving on a suspended license, according to Gilroy police.
The bail on the warrants totals $317,000, and one was a no-bail warrant, police said.
Zaragoza was also booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a stolen firearm and driving with a suspended license, according to police.
