Fresno men charged with drug possession, stolen gun, child endangerment

Two Fresno men were arrested Tuesday after Fresno Sheriff’s deputies said they were stopped in a vehicle in central Fresno with one pound of marijuana, a stolen hunting rifle and a small child inside.

A deputy assigned to the Old Fig Garden neighborhood stopped a Toyota Tacoma near Palm and Griffith avenues around 2 p.m.

The deputy searched the truck and found approximately one pound of marijuana, a bag of ammunition and a hunting rifle, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Cochis Mancia, 38, and Michael Swacker, 42, both of Fresno, were arrested.

Mancia’s 4-year-old daughter was in the backseat. The girl was sitting on half of the rifle, which was covered with a jacket, the Sheriff’s Office said. It was not loaded.

The deputy determined the close proximity of ammunition to the gun posed a danger to the little girl, and she is now in the care of her grandmother, unharmed.

Both men were booked into Fresno County Jail.

Mancia faces felony charges of carrying a loaded gun, possession of stolen property, child endangerment and a misdemeanor for marijuana possession. Swacker was arrested for having an outstanding felony warrant. He is also on post-release community supervision, which is part of AB109.

Anyone with information about Mancia or Swacker should call the Sheriff’s Office at 559-600-3111. Callers can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867.

This story was originally published September 28, 2016 at 11:20 PM with the headline "Fresno men charged with drug possession, stolen gun, child endangerment."