SPRINGDALE -- A gun police suspect may have been used in a gang-related shooting near Springdale High School was found in the home of a man police described in documents as a "known" gang member.
Springdale police arrested George Barrera Ceja, 26, after a search of a Springdale residence turned up drugs and four guns, two of them reported stolen, according to a probable cause affidavit for Ceja's arrest.
Springdale shootings
• A 16-year-old boy was shot on Aug. 19 in an alley between 402 S. Thompson St. Suite 9 and 1003 Wilkinson Lane, near Springdale High School just after 4 p.m. Police have characterized the shooting as gang-related. Cristofer Nicasio, 17, was arrested in connection with attempted murder.
• A 32-year-old man and a boy were wounded by gunfire on Aug. 16 near 1101 N. Pleasant Street. Police have stated the boy has a connection to local gangs but the man did not.
• A 14-year-old boy was shot June 25 while he was riding a bicycle near Marylyn Street and Crawford Avenue. Jose Yanez, 18, of Rogers and Hector Vega, 20, of Lowell were arrested on charges of attempted capital murder and engaging in gang activity on July 1 in connection with the shooting. The shooting was connected to a chance encounter between “rival gangs” at a nearby Kum & Go convenience store at 1010 N. Thompson St.
• On March 13 Fabian Rodriguez, 18, was fatally shot and two others were injured at 32 Applegate Drive in Springdale. Hector Saul Ramos, 17, was charged in connection with Rodriguez’ death. On April 11, Jimmy Rodriguez, 20, died after being injured in a drive-by shooting at 609 Savage St. in Springdale. Police arrested a 13-year-old boy and three men in connection with the shooting. The men mistakenly shot Rodriguez and were looking for a member of Wicked Brown Suspects. Police have previously stated the Applegate Drive and Savage Street are linked as the one was in retaliation for the other.
Source: Staff report
Jail records indicate Ceja, 26, was arrested Wednesday in connection with possession of methamphetamine or cocaine with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms and two counts of theft by receiving of a firearm.
Police records indicate they searched 4454 Wigwam in Springdale on Wednesday and believe Ceja was living there. Jail records also list an address for Ceja at 101 N. Michael in Lowell.
Ceja, who also goes by "Cookie Monster," is believed to be a member of the Wicked Brown Suspects gang, according to court documents. Gang members are suspects in Benton County burglaries and are rivals with members of the gang Termite Loco Savage, according to the report.
During the search, police found a black long-barreled .22 pistol that appeared similar to the one used in a Aug. 19 shooting between buildings at 402 S. Thompson St., Suite 9 and 1003 Wilkinson Lane, near Springdale High School. A 16-year-old was injured.
Cristofer Nicasio, 17, was arrested in connection with the shooting and charged with attempted murder. Both teens were Springdale High School students, police said at the time.
Police had been told Ceja picked up Nicasio, also a known member of WBS, from Springdale High School after the shooting, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The long-barreled .22 had been reported stolen from Siloam Springs. It will be sent for testing at the state Crime Laboratory, according to police documents.
Police found three other weapons during the search of the home including a shotgun reported stolen from Benton County found in Ceja's room and a .38 revolver hidden under Ceja's mattress. Paperwork in the bedroom alluded to gang business and photos showed gang signals, according to the probable cause affidavit. An unlabeled pill bottle included medication police identified as hydrocodone and alprazolam was found in Ceja's room. Marijuana and marijuana pipes and methamphetamine were found in an outbuilding. Police found a loaded .22 revolver in a kitchen cabinet and semi-automatic magazines that matched no weapons found in the house.
Police requested bail be set at $100,000. Ceja was being held Thursday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set.
NW News on 09/11/2015