City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications
SRPD News Release: Two Felons Arrested for Illegal Possession of Firearms, One Suspect Still Outstanding Following Service of Narcotics-Related Search Warrant
9/10/2024 - 5:04 PM
Two Felons Arrested for Illegal Possession of Firearms, One Suspect Still Outstanding Following Service of Narcotics-Related Search Warrant
On Monday, September 9, 2024, at approximately 2:25 pm, detectives with the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) Narcotics Team served a search warrant at a residence in the 900 block of Russell Avenue. The search warrant was obtained as part of an investigation into suspected sales of illegal narcotics. The subject of the search warrant and the person suspected of possessing and selling illegal drugs is Benjamin “Benny” Mares, a 64-year-old resident of the home on Russell Avenue.
When detectives knocked on the door of the residence and announced the service of the search warrant, four occupants of the house complied with instructions to exit the house. A fifth subject, later identified as Tony Smith Jr., a 42-year-old resident of Santa Rosa, was in the backyard of the residence and ran farther into the yard to hide from officers and avoid being detained.
Smith was found hiding in the rafters of a detached garage and initially refused to come down. After approximately 10 minutes of negotiating with Smith, he climbed down from the rafters and was detained in handcuffs without incident. Smith initially provided officers with a fake name. The investigating detective eventually was able to ascertain Smith’s true identity and quickly learned that Smith was out of custody on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) for a prior felony conviction and had an active warrant for his arrest for failure to comply with the terms of his release.
Mares was not at home at the time of the search warrant.
Detectives searched the residence pursuant to the search warrant and located approximately 11 ounces of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, various ammunition, a .357 caliber revolver, and a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Both firearms were unregistered.
One of the firearms was located on a couch in the living room where Smith stored some of his personal property and where one of the occupants, Scott Stone, a 35-year-old Santa Rosa resident, had been sitting when detectives initially knocked on the door. Smith and Stone are convicted felons and prohibited from possessing ammunition and firearms.
The other firearm was located in Mares’s bedroom. Mares, a convicted felon, also is prohibited from possessing ammunition and firearms.
Smith was booked into Sonoma County Jail for the following charges:
148.9 PC – Giving false identification to a police officer
3455 PC – Violation of PRCS
148(a)(1) PC – Obstruct or delay a peace officer in the performance of their official duties
29800 PC – Convicted felon in possession of a firearm
30305 PC – Convicted felon in possession of ammunition
Stone was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail for the following charges:
29800 PC – Convicted felon in possession of a firearm
30305 PC – Convicted felon in possession of ammunition
SRPD detectives are actively trying to locate Mares to further investigate his involvement in narcotic sales and illegal firearms possession.
If you have information about this case or wish to provide an anonymous tip about other drug-related incidents, please call the SRPD Anonymous Drug Tip Hotline at 707-543-3784. If you know the current location of Benjamin “Benny” Mares (age 64), please contact the SRPD non-emergency number at 707-528-5222. Thank you.
Santa Rosa Police Department case number 24-10733.
Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens at 707-543-3634 or pseffens@srcity.org.
