North Las Vegas man with assault rifles arrested in Arizona

An AR-15 sporting rifle, top, and an AK-47-style rifle lie side by side in January at Battlefield Vegas. The two rifles are often confused by media, law enforcement and the public.

The Nevada man arrested last week in Arizona after he was found with five AK-47 assault rifles in his rental vehicle is from North Las Vegas.

Jorge Eduardo Pantoja-Aldaz, 24, is being held at the Pima County Jail in Tucson, Arizona, where he faces gun trafficking charges. Bail was set at $10,000.

Pantoja-Aldaz was taken into custody on March 7 by an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper after a traffic stop on Interstate 10 near Marana, northwest of Tucson, according to the department. Authorities said the arresting trooper is participating in Operation Stonegarden, a Department of Homeland Security program that grants funds to law enforcement agencies to strengthen border security throughout the United States.

Five AK-47 assault rifles and a small amount of cocaine were seized during the traffic stop. Authorities said the case has been turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Pantoja-Aldaz does not appear to have a criminal history in Clark County, district court records show.

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