Elias Bernal-Gutierrez is charged with a felony count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
Officers began their investigation just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday after getting a call that several people were smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol near the Star River Walk Park.
When an officer arrived and walked up to a grey Honda passenger car parked nearby and looked inside, he saw a marijuana pipe, a glass bong, plastic baggies, and a leafy green substance in plain view. The officer could smell marijuana even though the windows were closed.
A moment later Bernal-Gutierrez and three other people walked towards the cars from the River Walk.
When the Star officer asked if any of the four owned the grey Honda, 18-year-old Wyatte Ash said it was his. Bernal-Gutierrez said he was a passenger in the car. The other two people said they drove to the park in a different car.
The officer talked with the pair briefly and then did a search of the car, where he found a small plastic bag with marijuana, several pipes with burnt residue, digital scales, baggies, various other items of drug paraphernalia, and a black backpack sealed with a small padlock.
Officers found the key to open up the backpack, which had several plastic bags totaling 207 grams of marijuana inside, a Ruger 9mm handgun, a magazine filled with 11 bullets, and $480 in cash.
Officers determined that backpack belonged to Bernal-Gutierrez.
Officers then arrested Bernal-Gutierrez and took him to the Ada County Jail.
Officers also arrested Ash and charged him with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.