Late Traffic Stop Yields Couple Trouble In Murrieta: Police Find Drugs, Weapons And More

MURRIETA, CA — Driving around can be fun, the Murrieta Police Department admitted in a recent social media post, but driving around late at night with a convicted felon and on a felony warrant? Not so much.

The social post brought the humor, but the seriousness behind the arrests was in the details.

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Just after 1:30 a.m. Monday, Richelle Burse and Michael Cueller were both following a traffic stop at Murrieta Hot Springs at Hancock Parkway on multiple charges.

Richelle Burse, 30, faced charges of probation violation, identity theft, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and more. She was being held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and awaiting a July 23 court appearance at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Michael Cuellar, 35, was arrested for a probation violation and was held at the Robert Presley Detention Center, with no court date currently listed.

The pictures and humorous social media posts from the Murrieta Police Department caught residents' attention.

"Is it bad judgment for you to be driving a motor vehicle? Not necessarily. But what if you have a felony warrant…and no driver license? And what if your passenger, another known felon, has in her possession some illegal drugs when there’s a drug detection K-9 on scene? And what if said passenger also has in her possession a loaded firearm? And, going a step further, what if that passenger then decided to lie to law enforcement about her name during a lawful detention? You see where we’re going with this?

"It is this kind of bad judgment that led to two arrests for one of our night shift corporals recently. Footnote: Our ill-behaving passenger in this story also had drug paraphernalia and bank cards that did not belong to her.

Bottom line…choose your passengers wisely. Especially if you have felony warrants. Solid night for proactive policing, bad night for criming in Murrtown."

Over 100 residents chimed in with comments on the police work and the humor behind it.

"I’m not even doing anything wrong and I still know not to drive in Murrieta after ten pm! They pull everyone over!" one person wrote.

"Please keep posting these arrests," one commenter said. "You will get taunts and criticisms. Do not let that deter you. Criminals are reading this too. Let them know, Murrieta is not a good place to do business. And thank you."