18-Year-Old Found Driving Without a License and in Possession of ‘Ghost Gun’ and Cocaine, Says UPD

On 12/18/20 at approximately 1312 hours, two UPD officers were doubled in a marked police vehicle and were traveling eastbound on E. Gobbi St. One of the officers observed a vehicle pass them traveling westbound and recognized the driver of the vehicle as Trinidad Luise Magdaleno- Pulido. Magdaleno-Pulido was known to the officer from prior law enforcement contacts. The officer was also aware that Magdaleno-Pulido did not have a driver’s license, and the officer had warned Magdaleno-Pulido about driving a motor vehicle without a license in the past.

The officers turned their police vehicle around to initiate a traffic enforcement stop on Magdaleno-Pulido. Prior to the officers activating the overhead emergency lights on their patrol vehicle, Magdaleno-Pulido pulled his vehicle into the parking lot of Express Mart (390 E. Gobbi St.) and entered the store. The officers contacted Magdaleno-Pulido inside the store and advised him they had observed him driving. The officers confirmed through a DMV records check that Magdaleno-Pulido did not have a driver’s license issued to him.

The officers advised Magdaleno-Pulido that they were going to issue him a citation for driving without a license and have his vehicle towed per 22651(p) CVC. While performing an inventory search on Magdaleno-Pulido’s vehicle the officers located a box of .38 Special ammunition. Officer’s performed a pat search on Magdaleno-Pulido in belief he may be in possession of a firearm. In Magdaleno-Pulido’s waistband, officers located a loaded Glock 9mm style pistol that had been assembled from a kit that are commonly marketed as “80% frames” (also commonly referred to as a ghost gun). In Magdaleno-Pulido’s pants pocket the officers located two small bags of suspected cocaine. A more thorough search of the vehicle was performed and officers located a larger bag of cocaine hidden behind the dash of the vehicle.

Magdaleno-Pulido was placed under arrest for the above listed charges. Magdaleno-Pulido was transported to the MCSO Jail where he was booked.