Rookie cop arrests registered sex offender on weapons charges in Antioch Tuesday morning
Officer King with firearm discovered in the suspect’s car on Tues., August 9, 2022. Photo by APD
Also has history of arrests including for domestic violence in 2015, as well as murder and other, similar weapons charges last year
James Cornell Chatman. Source: Meganslaw.ca.gov
By Antioch Police Department
Way to go, rookie!!
On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., Antioch Police Officer King conducted a suspicious vehicle stop on W. 7th Street of a car parked alongside a curb with two people appearing to be asleep inside. Concerned for their safety, Officer King approached the vehicle to speak to the gentleman to ensure they were OK. When he made it up to the driver’s window, Officer King saw drug paraphernalia on the driver’s lap.
After waking the occupants up, Officer King searched the car and located a loaded AR-style pistol in a black bag near the feet of the driver, 32-year-old James Cornell Chatman of Antioch. Seeing as he was a felon and was not allowed to own a firearm, Chatman was promptly arrested and transported to jail at the Martinez Detention Facility. He is being charged with for PC 29800(A)(1) – felon in possession of a firearm; PC 25850(A) – loaded firearm in a vehicle or in public; and PC 25400(A)(1) – carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle under the person’s control.
According to homefacts.com Chatman is a registered sex offender and according to the Megan’s Law website it was for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age.
Confiscated firearm. Photo: APD
According to localcrimenews.com he has a history of arrests dating back to 2015. Chatman was arrested that year by Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant and assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury. In March 2021 he was arrested by Antioch Police for participating in an illegal speed contest and evading a police officer. Then on Sept. 11, last year, Chatman was arrested, again by Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies for murder, assault with a firearm on a person, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm when not the registered owner.
Your police department remains dedicated to removing illegally owned/possessed firearms off the street. Keep up the hard work Officer King!
APD PIO Darryl Saffold and Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
the attachments to this post:
Confiscated firearm 080922 APD
James Cornell Chatman
Officer King with firearm 080922 APD
