A man with 13 felony convictions dating back to 1978, who was stopped by police recently while driving in Berkeley, has been charged by the Alameda County district attorney’s office with three new felonies related to firearm possession and drug sales.
A woman with him in the car has been charged with possession of marijuana for sale, and also with the fraudulent possession of the personal information of 10 people.
Calvin Phelps, also known as Eli Washington, and Maridena Wilson, 44, were stopped by Berkeley police Sept. 4 at San Pablo Avenue and 67th Street just before 10:20 p.m.
According to court papers, police smelled marijuana in the vehicle. During a search, they found nearly 15 grams of suspected marijuana, along with a digital scale and more than 100 sandwich bags, which can be used in drug sales.
Police obtained a search warrant for Phelps’ apartment, on Tyler Street in Berkeley, and recovered a loaded firearm, and 9 ounces of suspected marijuana packaged for sales, as well as 14 fake or fraudulent credit cards and 10 driver’s licenses with Wilson’s photograph on them.
Police also said they found stolen credit applications in the names of five people, and that Wilson had licenses with their names and her picture on them.
According to police, 54-year-old Phelps has 13 felony convictions dating back to 1978 related to drugs and drug sales, burglary and firearm possession. He has served time in state prison as a result.
Phelps and Wilson have both been charged with possession of marijuana for sale, a felony.
Wilson also was charged with a felony in connection with the fraudulent licenses and credit cards.
Phelps was charged with a felony in connection with the firearm, as well as a second count of possession of marijuana for sale. He was prohibited from owning the firearm due to a 2008 conviction in Alameda County, according to court papers. That case involved cocaine sales, a firearm and other violations.
If convicted of the latest firearm charge, Phelps could be sent to prison.
He has one strike on his record, for a home burglary in Alameda County in 1985.
No convictions were listed in court documents for Wilson.
Neither Phelps nor Wilson remain in custody.
They are scheduled for further pre-trial Nov. 3 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
Read more about drugs and guns in Berkeley in past Berkeleyside coverage.
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