Oft-deported suspect nabbed with gun in west Salt Lake City

An oft-deported criminal was in the Salt Lake County jail Wednesday after allegedly being found by police packing a handgun in west Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City police say officers were flagged down just before 1 p.m. Tuesday by a citizen who reported seeing the 25-year-old man ride by on a bicycle, a pistol in his waistband.

A short time later, police located the suspect, still on his bicycle, and pulled him over near 700 West and 800 South.

Police found a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic in the man's waistband, as well as a loaded magazine in his pocket.

Immigration officials identified the suspect, a Mexican national who goes by numerous aliases, as having been previously deported from the United States six times.

He was booked into jail on suspicion of third-degree felony counts of possession of a weapon by a restricted person and providing false information to police. He remained behind bars Wednesday on a federal immigration hold order.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims