MERCED – Three gang members are off the streets of Merced thanks to the work of the Gang Violence Suppression Unit of the Merced Police Department. On Friday the 5th of January, 2018, GVSU officers developed information that gang member Fredrick Gilchrist was selling drugs and had firearms at his residence.
GVSU officers authored a search warrant and served the search warrant at Gilchrist’s residence located in the 600 block of Loughborough Drive in Merced. During the search, officers located a handgun, ammunition, a digital scale and drugs inside his home. Gilchrist was arrested and booked at the Merced County Jail for sales of narcotics and gang inhancements.
A 17 year old male juvenile gang member inside the residence admitted ownership of the gun. The juvenile was arrested and booked at the Juvenile Hall for firearms charges, possession of drugs and gang enhancements.
On January 6, 2018, GVSU officers developed information that Andres Perez-Govea was selling drugs. GVSU officers located Perez-Govea inside a vehicle in the 1600 block of Ellen Avenue. Officers searched his vehicle and located packaged cocaine. GVSU served a search warrant at Perez-Govea’s residence located at 2499 E Gerrard Avenue in Merced.
During the search, officers located a 2 handguns, an AR-15 pistol, a submachinegun, ammunition, a digital scale, over a pound of cocaine, over an ounce of methamphetamine and over $12,000 cash inside his home. Perez-Govea was arrested and booked at the Merced County Jail for sales of narcotics and weapons charges.
Merced Police are asking anyone with any information regarding this crime to contact Gang Violence Suppression Unit (GVSU) Sgt. Rodriguez at (209) 385-4710, or the Merced Police Department Tipster Line at (209) 385-4725. The public can send information via anonymous text messages to police department by dialing “TIP411” (847411) and including the word “Comvip” as the “keyword” in the text message.