A man was arrested Wednesday after more than two dozen firearms and a large cache of ammunition were seized from the home where he lived with three children in Victorville, officials said.
Robert Lamas, 33, of Victorville faces multiple possible charges after he was arrested in the 16300 block of Manchester Street about 9 p.m., according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Lamas posted $50,000 bail Thursday morning and was released from custody. Later in the day, a man who answered the door at the house said from behind a screen that he did not know Lamas and was not aware of the warrant being served.
Authorities found a total of 26 firearms, including assault weapons with high capacity magazines, shotguns, and handguns of multiple calibers, said Deputy Eric Stoll of the Victorville station, revising the department's ealier count of 22 seized weapons.
A small indoor marijuana grow, and approximately 1 pound of marijuana packaged for sales were also found in the home, Stoll said..
Thee of the guns were found in an area accessible to children, raising the concern for child endangerment, according to Stoll. He said those guns were loaded. Investigators recovered additional firearms from a gun safe, and discovered the assault rifles in a search of the attic, Stoll said.
A warrant to search the house was obtained during a narcotics investigation.
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"We believe there was narcotics activity taking place at the residence," Stoll said. What the team serving the warrant was not expecting to find were so many weapons, he said.
Authorities assert that Lamas has been active in a criminal street gang and has miltiple prior felony conviction, which makes it illegal to possess any firearm, much less assault weapons.
"You never would have thought," said neighbor Ashley DeArkland-Hester, who recalled often seeing the children playing in the yard.
"He always waves 'hi' to the neighbors. We never had a problem," said Luis Del Valle, who lives down the block.
A woman in the home was questioned by deputies, but not arrested. She is the mother of one of the children, and Lamas is the father of the other two, Stoll said, adding that the children are now in the care of grandparents.
Lamas was booked on suspicion of a felony possession of a firearm, possession of an assault weapon, felony possession of ammunition, possession of marijuana for sale and child endangerment with a criminal street gang member enhancement, according to the Sheriff's Department.
What plans Lamas may have had for the guns, Stoll said is not yet known and still under investigation.
The case has yet to be presented to the District Attorney's office for formal charging.
