A Lemoore man was arrested after Kings County investigators say a traffic stop led to the discovery of a loaded handgun, suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine, authorities said Monday.

According to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, investigators with the Kings County Major Crimes Task Force attempted to stop a man riding a bicycle north in the southbound lane of North White Street in Hanford on Thursday.

The man, later identified as Dominic Hernandez, 38, of Lemoore, allegedly failed to yield and continued riding for about four-tenths of a mile before stopping. Investigators took Hernandez into custody and searched his backpack.

Inside, investigators said they found a loaded Springfield XD .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun, ammunition, suspected methamphetamine, multiple quantities of suspected fentanyl, a digital scale, packaging materials, and other narcotics-related paraphernalia.

Based on the amount of narcotics recovered and the presence of items commonly associated with sales, investigators believed the drugs were possessed for sale, according to the sheriff’s office.

Hernandez, a convicted felon, was also prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, investigators said.

He was booked into the Kings County Jail on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of narcotics for sale, possession of a loaded firearm while in possession of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and resisting a peace officer.

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