Loleta Man Arrested After Deputies Seize Illegal AR-15 Style Rifle at Home

Brandon Brumwell, 31, was arrested Monday morning after Humboldt County Sheriff's deputies found a non-serialized AR-15 style short-barreled rifle, an extended-capacity magazine, and ammunition inside his Loleta home, despite conditions of his probation barring him from possessing firearms.

Deputies arrived at the residence in the 200 block of Bowie Road at approximately 10:00 a.m. on March 10 after receiving a tip that Brumwell was in violation of his probation terms. After speaking with the reporting party on scene, investigators from the Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Division assisted in securing a search warrant for the property. Brumwell was contacted inside the residence and detained before the search began.

The rifle recovered during the search bore no serial number, a feature that has made so-called ghost guns increasingly prominent in California weapons enforcement cases. Deputies also recovered an extended-capacity magazine and ammunition alongside it.

Brumwell was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility and booked on seven charges: felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)), prohibited person in possession of ammunition (PC 30305(a)(1)), possession of a short-barreled rifle (PC 33215), owning a firearm without a serial number (PC 29180(c)), possession of a firearm with a specified misdemeanor conviction (PC 29805(a)(1)), possession of a large-capacity magazine (PC 32310(a)), and violation of probation (PC 1203.2).

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff's Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.