Olivehurst gang member jailed after Marysville traffic stop

A routine traffic stop ended Friday in Marysville with a well-known Olivehurst gang member behind bars on drug and weapons charges, the Marysville Police Department reported.

Eugene Tyrone Patterson was jailed after officers found a loaded .9mm semiautomatic handgun and more than five pounds of marijuana in his vehicle, Sgt. Chris Sachs said.

"He has an extensive criminal history," Sachs noted.

Police stopped the 34-year-old parolee at around 4:45 p.m. at the intersection of East 10th and Ramirez streets on a traffic violation, Sachs said.

"While investigating, officers located the loaded firearm, marijuana and burglary tools and other drug paraphernalia," Sachs said.

Sachs said Patterson was recently released from state prison and was being supervised by the Yuba County Probation Department, instead of the state parole office, a condition of the state's prison realignment.

A release date was not available on Saturday.

Officials have been careful to note that realignment parolees are not released from prison early. Patterson was booked into the Yuba County Jail without bail on suspicion of being a felon in possession a firearm and ammunition, concealing a firearm in a vehicle, receiving stolen property, possession of marijuana for sale, and possession of a controlled substance, among others.

Patterson has been arrested numerous times dating back to at least 2003 on various gang, firearms and drug charges, according to Appeal-Democrat archives.

His criminal history also includes drunken-driving and theft convictions, according to records. In 2006, narcotics agents told the Appeal-Democrat that Patterson is a known gang member with a record that includes drive-by shootings.

Prior to Friday, Patterson's most recent arrest came in September when the California Highway Patrol jailed him on suspicion of receiving a stolen vehicle.