Firearms seized after 2nd arrest in gun case in Half Moon Bay

Ortiz, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility on suspicion of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of ammunition, participation in a criminal street gang, receiving stolen property, committing a felony while on bail, and possessing an unserialized firearm.

Investigators allege the arrest stems from a February case in which a 17-year-old suspect allegedly discharged and brandished a firearm on the 100 block of Iris Lane in Half Moon Bay before fleeing the scene. Deputies later stopped the vehicle after deploying spike strips and arrested the juvenile, who was booked for suspected assault with a semiautomatic firearm, evading police and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation later revealed the February gun discharge was connected to a December 2025 case in which deputies responded to reports of gunshots on the 400 block of Oak Avenue. Ortiz was identified as the driver of a vehicle seen leaving the area at that time, with the same juvenile riding as a passenger.

Detectives said both are suspects of gang-related activity, though no firearm was recovered during the earlier investigations. The Sheriff’s Office is still working to determine which of the seized guns may have been used in the December and February cases.