Duo Accused in Possession of Ghost Gun, Drugs After San Marcos Traffic Stop

San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two men in San Marcos Friday on suspicion of possession of an illegal firearm and narcotics.

Just before 6:30 p.m., deputies from the San Marcos Sheriff’s Station noticed what they deemed a suspicious vehicle at 202 South Rancho Santa Fe Road.

During a search of the vehicle, a loaded, privately manufactured weapon, commonly known as a ghost gun, was found, along with 48 rounds of 9mm ammunition, said Sgt. Alex Brust.

Deputies also discovered a variety of illegal substances, which included cocaine, ecstasy, fentanyl pills and psilocybin mushrooms. They arrested the occupants of the vehicle, Justin Gioia, 25, Nathaniel Brown, 36, and a 17-year-old teenage girl on drug and firearms charges, Brust said.

Ghost guns do not have a serial number or other identifiable markings. Unlike weapons made by a licensed manufacturer, they lack a serial number, which makes it challenging for law enforcement agencies to track them to their owners or makers, hindering or delaying investigations and crime-solving efforts.

Gioia and Brown were booked into the Vista Detention Facility, Brust said. The teen was released to her parents.

– City News Service