Lompoc man accused of ammunition charge after police find SKS rifle, Tommy gun in car

Jun. 13—A Lompoc man is accused of illegally possessing ammunition after Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies found drugs and several firearms, including a loaded Tommy gun, in a car and his home following a traffic stop in Santa Ynez last month, according to federal court documents.

Jason Coleman, 43, was charged one with count of being a felon in possession of ammunition on June 2, less than a month after he was arrested by sheriff's deputies on Sanja Cota Avenue in Santa Ynez, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Records show the charge stems from a a search of Coleman's vehicle on May 19, after he was pulled over by deputies for having expired registration, and a subsequent warrant search of his home on May 20.

Sheriff's deputies initiated a traffic stop on Coleman's 2002 Toyota Avalon after requesting a records search on the vehicle as he was heading eastbound on Sanja Cota Avenue, according to a federal affidavit.

The search revealed that Coleman's vehicle registration allegedly expired on Aug. 26, 2020, although the license plate's sticker showed that it expired in 2023. Deputies conducted a search of Coleman's criminal history, which showed felonies for illegally possessing firearms, court documents show.

The affidavit states a deputy requested a tow truck to impound the Avalon and advised Coleman that an inventory of items inside the vehicle would be taken as a precautionary measure against theft, which is when the deputy asked him if there were any guns inside the car.

"Coleman paused, as if he were thinking about how to respond, and then stated that there were no firearms inside the Avalon," according to the affidavit written by Bryan Traverso, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. "He then stated there was a [hunting] rifle in the trunk."

A search of the trunk allegedly revealed an SKS semi-automatic rifle. Records show Coleman told deputies the rifle was in the vehicle because he and his female passenger, identified as E.G., were going camping.

After Coleman was arrested, deputies searched him and located a loaded Kimber 9-millimeter pistol in his waistline, and five rounds of assorted ammunition and a plastic bag containing a substance believed to be approximately 13 grams of cocaine, according to court documents.

Following a search of the Avalon, deputies allegedly located the following items: several large plastic bags containing approximately 32 pounds of marijuana; two tool bags containing more than 200 rounds of ammunition; a black case with firearm components; body armor; a black bag with a loaded "Tommy-style" .45-caliber semiautomatic rifle; a pouch holding heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and counterfeit fentanyl pills; bongs; and the title of the vehicle with Coleman's name on it.

A search warrant approved by Superior Court Judge Kay Kuns for Coleman's home on Polaris Avenue was executed on May 20 and revealed 89 grams of methamphetamine, 10 pounds of marijuana, more ammunition and several items that included a digital scale and holsters, according to records.

Court records show a warrant search of a truck on the property revealed more firearms, including two loaded AK-47 extended magazines, two body armor vests, a box and backpack containing Tannerite, a disassembled pistol and more ammunition.

In addition, Traverso requested a warrant to access several electronic devices allegedly found in Coleman's possession.

Records show Coleman is in the custody of U.S. marshals in Los Angeles. Federal public defender Erin Murphy is listed as the attorney for Coleman, who is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 11:30 a.m. June 21 in the U.S. District Court's Western Division in Los Angeles, according to records.