A traffic stop on Monday turned into a bust for Manteca Police Officer Salvador Montero who discovered a loaded AR-15 rifle, more than $1,400 in cash, and a cache of pills believed to be fentanyl inside the vehicle.

According to the Manteca Police Department, Montero saw the vehicle – which had three individuals from San Jose inside – commit a moving violation and upon pulling the vehicle over developed probable cause to conduct a search.

That search uncovered a loaded AR-15 rifle with a collapsible stock, short barrel, and fully-detachable magazine – which makes possession of it illegal as the modifications require it to be classified as an assault weapon in California – as well as several bags of pills believed to be fentanyl, $1,400 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.

Francisco Lopez Camacho, 27, Oscar Rene Rodriguez, 39, and Javier Chacon Contreras, 27, were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on Monday and held on more than $400,000 bail. The trio are facing felony charges of possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance for sale, carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a crime, possession of an assault weapon, and conspiracy.

The three were scheduled to appear in the Manteca branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court on Tuesday and remain in custody in the San Joaquin County Jail.

Law enforcement officials have been working diligently to try and remove fentanyl-laced pills – which are responsible for a whole host of overdoses in recent years – off the streets.

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