In the 10 days since police searched a Gilroy home looking for
Joel Barnes, he’s racked up additional charges, stealing a gun and
ditching a stolen motorcycle, deputies said.
In the 10 days since police searched a Gilroy home looking for Joel Barnes, he’s racked up additional charges, stealing a gun and ditching a stolen motorcycle, deputies said.
Wanted for domestic violence, Barnes, 39, of Gilroy, abandoned a motorcycle in a yard on the 13000 block of Sycamore Avenue in Morgan Hill, 4:39 a.m. Aug. 19, according to police. The motorcycle was reported stolen out of Gilroy. Several days earlier, on Aug. 17, a nearby resident living on the 10000 block of Sycamore reported that Barnes had stolen a handgun worth $200.
Sheriff’s deputies searched a home on the 5000 block of Hecker Pass Highway Aug. 15 looking for Barnes but instead arrested two men in their 30s and a teenage girl who were staying in the house on various weapons and drug charges.
Deputies arrested the 17-year-old girl for selling methamphetamine and marijuana, possession of stolen property and a machine gun, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. They also arrested Raul Maciel, 30, for possession of machine guns, possession of stolen property, and selling methamphetamine and marijuana, among other charges, and Thomas Esparza, 39, for being under the influence of a controlled substance, Sheriff’s Lt. Dalia Rodriguez said.
Though she did not know if the arrestees were living together, “they were all staying there at the time,” she said.
Deputies also recovered at least half a dozen various guns. “Lots” of ammunition observed lying about the house gave deputies cause to search the residence, Rodriguez said. The residence’s three occupants were arrested without incident, she said.
Meanwhile, Barnes is still at large with a $25,000 warrant out for his arrest. Wanted by the Sheriff’s Department for felony domestic violence, Barnes may be armed, Rodriguez said. Based on prior confrontations with the suspect, she said he tends to resist arrest.
Barnes is also wanted for assault with a deadly weapon, but it is unclear whether this charge is related to the domestic violence incident, deputies said.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Joel Barnes may call the Sheriff’s dispatch at 408-299-2311.
