Two individuals face a myriad of gun and ammunition charges following a proactive patrol operation conducted by Fall River Police Department detectives on the night of November 24. As reported by the Fall River Police Department’s social media post, their detectives, assigned to CAST, spotted a gray Nissan Murano speeding through Pleasant Street at around 9:45 p.m. The vehicle reportedly committed multiple traffic violations before police were able to conduct a stop.
The driver, identified as Jose Fernando Cortez, age 31, informed detectives at the scene that he had outstanding active warrants. Following his detainment, the investigation led to the discovery of a Taurus G3C 9mm handgun with ammunition inside the console of the vehicle. It is noteworthy that Cortez is not licensed to carry a firearm in Massachusetts. Soon to arrive on the scene was Margarita Mercado Matos, Cortez’s girlfriend and the registered owner of the vehicle. Matos also lacked a Massachusetts License to Carry, prompting detectives to swiftly apply for a search warrant for their residence based on gathered intelligence…