A 37-year-old convicted felon accused of possessing a modified assault rifle and other prohibited items in connection with an alleged home-based gun parts manufacturing operation in Jurupa Valley was charged Wednesday with felony and misdemeanor offenses.
Marco Antonio Ponce De Leon was arrested Saturday following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation.
De Leon is charged with being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a short-barreled assault rifle, possession of an assault weapon and possession of controlled substances.
The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $70,000 bail at the Byrd Detention Center, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
According to sheriff’s officials, deputies were tipped off to the defendant’s alleged illicit manufacturing operation Saturday, culminating in a search warrant being obtained and served at his residence in the 5000 block of Steve Avenue, near Jurupa Road.
“During the investigation … the following items were located and seized — 13 firearms, two of which had been reported stolen, and one short-barreled rifle, 20 3-D printed receivers, numerous (flash) suppressors and large-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a small quantity of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia,” according to an agency statement.
De Leon was taken into custody without incident.
According to court records, he has documented prior convictions for making criminal threats and being a felon with a gun.