Gang member sentenced to 14 years

Roseville, Calif. – A 32-year-old Rio Linda man with membership in a street gang will spend the next 14 years in a state prison following an incident last month in which he fled from police in Roseville and a loaded handgun fell out of his pocket.

David Michael Perez was given the prison term by Placer County Superior Court Judge Mark S. Curry after pleading no contest to four felony charges and three misdemeanor counts stemming from a June 12 traffic stop in which the defendant was a passenger in a car.

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Prosecutor Stephanie Macumber of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said Perez got out of the car on the Sierra Street Bridge in Roseville and ran away.

As he fled from officers, Perez jumped on the hood of a parked car, denting it, and a loaded gun fell out of his pocket, Macumber said. Perez was eventually captured with help from the Roseville Police Department’s canine unit, she said.

“The defendant had prior convictions and was a validated, active gang member,” Macumber said. “He was not allowed to have a gun.”

On July 21, Perez entered a plea of no contest to the felony charges, which included carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, street terrorism and vandalism.

He also pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of resisting or obstructing peace officers and one misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded firearm. In addition, Perez did not contest special allegations of having prior felony offenses.

Macumber said the conviction means that Perez will now have two felony strikes on his criminal record.