Monterey County man arrested for possession of WWII era  machine gun

SALINAS — Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies announced they have arrested a 42-year-old man from Pacific Grove for possession of three firearms: a loaded .45 caliber pistol, an AR pistol carbine and a Japanese Type 11 light machine gun.

The suspect was apprehended Sunday around 8:30 p.m. during a traffic stop in Castroville according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.

A deputy was patrolling near Poole Street and McDougal Street when they noticed a vehicle driving down the middle of the road toward oncoming traffic. The officer stopped the vehicle, which was driven by a female and had a male passenger. Another deputy arrived on scene to assist, alongside his K-9 partner.

While searching the vehicle, the law enforcement dog discovered a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

Officers later found the three firearms, one of them, a loaded 1911 A-1 pistol, within arms-reach of the passenger. Two of the apprehended weapons did not have serial numbers.

The deputies identified the passenger as 42-year-old Brian Richard Knabb, a convicted felon from Pacific Grove.

Sheriff Tina Nieto described the WWII-era firearm in a press release as “a weapon of war…capable of firing over 500 rounds per minute.”

With bail set at $50,000, Brian Richard Knabb was booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of an unserialized firearm and other charges.

The female driver was cited for possession of a controlled substance and released.

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