San José Police Department's Metro Unit seized over 1,000 pounds of illegal fireworks in connection with the arrest of Mark Espinoza, suspected of distributing large quantities of fireworks throughout the Bay Area. (Courtesy of San José Police Department)
SAN JOSE — A well-known community member that has staunchly opposed developments in the North San Jose district of Alviso was arrested on suspicion of possessing and distributing large quantities of illegal fireworks — similar to allegations he faced more than five years ago, according to authorities.
Mark Espinoza, 49, was arrested Sunday, San Jose police said in a statement Thursday morning. Authorities said they determined that he was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of fireworks throughout the Bay Area, though they did not offer specific allegations.
Espinoza was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail and held on bail of $1,000,000, according to police.
On Monday, officers served a search warrant at a storage unit in Milpitas, where they seized more than 1,000 pounds of illegal fireworks.
It’s not the first time that Espinoza has faced similar troubles with the law. In 2017, he and his then-18-year-old son, Marcos Espinoza Jr., were arrested after authorities found 1,200 pounds of fireworks in their Alviso home.
Court records also showed several complaints against Espinoza relating to family violence. The resolution of the earlier cases related to fireworks and family violence was not immediately clear Thursday morning.
Espinoza had previously engaged in demonstrations and legal actions against several potential business and industry developments in Alviso, including against a food bank expansion project last September. He unsuccessfully lobbied to prevent a golf and entertainment center from being built in the neighborhood, but the tech-heavy dining and sport fusion complex opened its doors in 2021.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Originally published at Austin Turner