Felon Allegedly Uses a Company Van to Bring 2 Firearms to a Job Site
By Jim Emerson
PINOLE — Clarence O. Cortez, 34 of Lathrop, keeps getting in trouble for firearms.
Cortez is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing any kind of firearm. He was arrested again recently in
Pinole for possession of firearms.
Cortez is a commuter. It seems he allegedly brought two firearms to a job site on the 1400 block of
Fitzgerald Drive in Pinole. His employer discovered two unserialized firearms inside a company work
van.
Pinole police were notified and responded to the job site, where Cortez was placed under arrest on
October 16.
He remains in custody at the West County Detention Facility in lieu of $210,000 bond.
One of the firearms recovered from Cortez is assault weapon equipped with a silencer.
The other firearm found in his possession is a pistol. Pinole PD described both firearms as “ghost guns” which are
typically assembled from kits.
Multiple charges were filed against Cortez on October 21. His charges include possession of an
assault weapon, possession of a silencer, and prohibited person in possession of ammunition. He is
also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon or narcotic addict.
Cortez has prior arrests on his record for felon or addict in possession of a firearm, and possession of
a controlled substance.
He also has previous arrests for possession of body armor, and possession of burglar’s tools, and drug paraphernalia.
Since January 2023, Cortez has been arrested five times.
He was arrested three times in San Joaquin County, once in Alameda County, and now once in Contra Costa County.
