A local man was arrested  in Library Park on Tuesday after Manteca Police discovered that he was carrying a loaded firearm and was in possession of drug paraphernalia and what officers believe was fentanyl.

Randall Freese, 43, was part of a group of people that were contacted by officers shortly after 7:30 p.m. inside of the gazebo at Library Park while police were conducting an area check for criminal activity.

After an investigation officers determined that Freese was carrying a loaded semiautomatic handgun as well as narcotics paraphernalia and a substance that officers believed was fentanyl – a synthetic opiate that is between 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

Freese was arrested for being a felon in possession of a handgun and being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition as well as carrying a loaded firearm in public, being armed while in possession of narcotics, and possession of illegal narcotics.

As of Thursday afternoon, he was still being held in custody on a $205,000 bond at the San Joaquin County Jail.

Through the first three months of 2022 Manteca Police have, on average, taken an illegal gun – those that are being carried outside of the parameters of the law, or by people who are prohibited from owning them – off of the streets once every other day. The realization was significant enough for the Manteca Police to draw attention to that fact when announcing an arrest earlier this year.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.