Man busted in Sonoma shopping center for packing loaded weapons

A Sonoma man was busted for having concealed loaded weapons, including an illegally assault rifle, in his car parked in the Sonoma Marketplace shopping center.

Ryan David Nelson, 41, was arrested on multiple felony charges Thursday at about 8 p.m.

In his SUV were a .38 revolver, loaded with six live cartridges, along with a bolt action rifle loaded with 5 cartridges and an illegally modified .9 mm Kel-Tec assault rifle with loaded high capacity magazines.

None of the guns were registered to Nelson, according to the Sheriff’s report, and he is not licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

The incident began when a Sonoma Police deputy was searching the parking lot for a suspect related to a theft that occurred earlier at a business on West Napa Street.

According to Sergeant Jeffery Toney, the deputy observed an occupied vehicle parked behind McCaulou’s Department Store. It was Nelson’s.

The deputy told Nelson about the nearby robbery, and showed him a picture of the female suspect. Nelson said he had not seen the suspect.

But during their conversation, Sgt. Toney reported, the deputy noticed a rifle case in the rear compartment of the vehicle. Nelson acknowledged he had three firearms inside the car. He was detained by another deputy, and his car searched.

Also found locked ammunition box which contained numerous live cartridges for each firearm.

During a law enforcement records check, none of the firearms were found to be registered to Nelson, who is not licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

Nelson was arrested on felony charges for Possession of a Loaded Concealed Firearm, Possession of an Assault Weapon, and Import of an Assault Weapon. Nelson was booked into custody at the Sonoma County Jail for the above charges.