DATE/TIME: Friday, July 17, 2026, at 8:29 p.m.
INCIDENT: Traffic Stop Leads to the Recovery of Loaded Firearm
LOCATION: El Evado Road / Palmdale Road, Victorville
SUSPECT(S): Kenneth Hicks, 21-years-old, Resident of Adelanto
VICTIM(S): State of California
SUMMARY: On Friday, July 17, 2026, at approximately 8:29 p.m., deputies assigned to the Victorville City Gang Impact Team (VCGIT) conducted a proactive traffic enforcement stop near El Evado Road and Palmdale Road on a Chrysler 300 driven by 21-year-old Kenneth Hicks, a resident of Adelanto.
During the investigation, Deputy Gerardo Palacios, a newly assigned VCGIT deputy and K-9 handler, deployed Nina. Nina is the VCGIT's recently introduced, single purpose, firearms detection canine. Nina conducted a sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of a firearm. Deputies searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded Glock 23 handgun equipped with a large-capacity magazine.
Hicks was arrested for Penal Code 25850(a), Possession of a Loaded Concealed Firearm, and Penal Code 32310(a), Possession of a Large-Capacity Magazine. Hicks was booked at the High Desert Detention Center. Deputies determined Hicks was out on bail following a May 21, 2026, arrest for allegedly possessing a handgun equipped with an illegal conversion device that rendered the firearm fully automatic.
The successful recovery of this firearm demonstrates the immediate value of VCGIT's newest specialized resource. Nina's alert directly led to the discovery of an illegally possessed loaded firearm, illustrating how firearms detection canines enhance deputy safety, strengthen proactive enforcement efforts, and help remove illegal weapons from the community before they can be used in violent crimes.
The Victorville City Gang Impact Team remains committed to proactive policing through intelligence-driven investigations, targeted enforcement, and the use of specialized resources to identify offenders, recover illegal firearms, and reduce violent crime. VCGIT will continue working to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and visit the City of Victorville.
Anyone with information about this investigation is urged to contact the Victorville Police Station at (760) 241-2911 or Sheriff's Dispatch at (760)956-5001. Callers wishing to remain anonymous should call or text ''Report'' to We-Tip at 844-909-3006. Online reporting is also available at https://mobile.catapultems.com/sbcsd/Sites.
Refer: Sergeant M. Young
Station: Victorville Station / Victorville City Gang Impact Team
Phone No. (760) 241-2911
Case No. 172609474
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department
