Felon allegedly flees illegal campsite with gun, drugs

A convicted felon was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and a loaded handgun this morning after getting caught allegedly leaving an illegal campsite in Santa Rosa, police said.

Around 8:40 a.m. an officer investigating illegal trespassing and camping on municipal property in the 600 block of Roseland Avenue found a hole cut in a fence near a trail and a campsite.

The officer observed a suspect, later identified as 41-year-old Willie Perryman, allegedly exit the campsite through the hole in the fence along with an unidentified woman, according to police.

The pair allegedly fled on foot immediately after seeing the officer, police said. The officer lost contact with the female suspect near the Marriott Hotel, but continued to pursue Perryman down a nearby railroad track.

Perryman was caught, subdued and taken into custody in an open field near Sebastopol Avenue and Boyd Street. During a subsequent search officers allegedly found a glass pipe, material presumed to be methamphetamine, and ammunition, according to police.

Perryman’s backpack also allegedly contained a loaded .32 caliber handgun with the serial number removed, police said.

Perryman had a warrant out for his arrest, and was found to be on probation in Sonoma County. As a convicted felon, he’s prohibited from possessing a firearm, police said.

He was arrested on suspicion of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm, altering or obliterating a firearm’s serial number, possession of drugs while armed with a loaded gun, possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, resisting or delaying a peace officer and violating the terms of his probation, according to police.

Bay City News

Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. © 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.