A routine traffic stop leads to police seizing 36 guns and arresting a suspect in San Jose – NBC Bay Area

What started as a routine traffic stop in San Jose led to police confiscating 36 guns they said should never have been on the road.

The suspect is not only facing gun possession charges, but also child endangerment because police said two children were in his car with some of those guns.

San Jose police said their investigation began when they stopped Juan Sandoval for a traffic violation and discovered he was transporting firearms with two children under 15 in his car.

That led officers to two homes linked to Sandoval — one on Cortez Avenue in San Jose near two schools — and another in San Benito County, where they found more weapons.

“As officers searched this second home, they located several other firearms, for a total of 36 firearms seized,” said Tanya Hernandez of the San Jose Police Department.

Maria Torres said she rarely shops after 11 a.m. because she’s afraid of crime. She is relieved when she learns that the police have confiscated the weapons.

“That’s great. It’s good that they’re taking the guns off the streets because we need more of them to get rid of them because everything that’s happening right now is just too crazy,” she said.

Police also said they seized thousands of rounds of ammunition, explosives and firearm accessories.