Traffic stop leads to four arrests

Four men were taken into custody Friday after a routine traffic stop, the Porterville Police Department reports.

The four men were arrested on a variety of charges, including being under the influence and a felons in possession of ammunition.

Police said an officer with the department’s Special Enforcement Team initiated a traffic stop of the vehicle just before 9 p.m. on Olive Avenue near Second Street.

The officer contacted the driver, Phonexay Inthavongsa, 36, of Porterville, who was determined to be unlicensed. As investigation continued, the officer suspected the driver and his passengers, Ruben Carreles, 25, Samuel Sierra, 32, and Gabriel Olmos, 30, all of Porterville, were all under the influence of a controlled substance.

The officer requested assistance and the four suspects were evaluated. All displayed objective symptoms of being under the influence of a controlled substance, police said.  

As officers were conducting a search of the vehicle, they located a box of ammunition but no weapons were found. Officers’ also located paraphernalia associated with narcotics.   

During the booking process all four suspects were determined to be previously convicted felons in possession of ammunition, and Carreles was currently out of custody on bail regarding an unrelated offense at the time of his arrest.  

After processing, the four suspects were transported to the Tulare County Jail and booked.