Traffic stop leads to seizure of marijuana, meth and firearms

On 12/15/14 at about 12:28 a.m., an officer with the Eureka Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a Ford pickup truck at the 3500 block of Broadway Street.  The driver was identified as Gerald Lee Gerarden, 39 of Eureka.  Gerarden was found to have a felony warrant and was driving on a suspended license.
During a search of Gerarden’s vehicle, officers located two AR-15 style rifles, several fully loaded magazines for the rifles, .5 lbs. of processed marijuana, and a small amount of methamphetamine.  One of the rifles was determined to have been reported stolen out of Nevada.
Gerarden was arrested for numerous weapon and drug possession violations, including being a prior convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and for possession of stolen property.  He was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.
At about 11:30 a.m., in connection to the traffic stop, detectives from EPD’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP) conducted probation searches at two residences on the 1400 block of California and the 1100 block of G Street.  Detectives seized an illegal modified rifle with a cut down barrel, a 12 gauge shotgun, a 22 revolver, and a replica BB gun.
This is a continuing investigation.  If anyone has information regarding this case or other nuisances in the city, you are asked to call the POP office at (707) 441-4373.