Machine gun, stolen property found in Pasco motel

A car prowl investigation led Benton County authorities to a Pasco motel where a stolen pistol and a machine gun were found.

A vehicle belonging to a government worker was broken into on Sept. 30 and items were stolen, according to the sheriff’s office.

The worker was able to track the GPS of an electronic device that was stolen, authorities said. The device led deputies to a home on South Beech Street in Kennewick and then to the Motel 6 in Pasco.

Deputies searched the motel room, finding stolen property from the vehicle, authorities said. Drugs, the stolen pistol and a Mac-11 sub-machine gun also were discovered in the room.

Luis Cortez Martinez, 28, and Guillermo Tapia-Torres, 26, were in the room and arrested, authorities said. Both men are felons and had warrants. Authorities say Tapia-Torres is a documented gang member.

The suspects were booked into the Franklin County jail.

The investigation then led deputies to a home on East Fifth Avenue in Kennewick, where more stolen property from the car prowl was found, authorities said.

Trevor G. Gorsline, 31, John A. Philips, 33, Katelyn Sumerlin, 24, and Megan Lares-Storms, 24, were arrested at the house. They were booked into the Benton County jail.

Authorities say drugs and paraphernalia also were found at the house.

Most of the property stolen from the car was returned to the victim.

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Machine gun, stolen property found in Pasco motel."