Feds file gun charge against East Bay woman

OAKLAND >> Federal prosecutors have filed federal gun charges against a woman in connection with her arrest last September, during an incident when police say she was found passed out in a running car that had a pistol stashed inside, court records show.

Erika Hewitt, 24, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a federal offense that carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. She remains in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and federal prosecutors have filed motions to keep her there, pending the outcome of the case.

The charge stems from a September 21 incident when California Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a car crash near Interstate 880 and Alvarado-Niles Boulevard in Union City. They found Hewitt, passed out behind the wheel of a car with a running engine, the complaint alleges.

Officers used an antiopioid overdose medication to revive Hewitt, according to the complaint. A search of the car yielded a 9mm pistol with 25 rounds of ammunition and about two pounds of marijuana, prosecutors allege.

In a legal motion petitioning to keep Hewitt in jail, prosecutors called Hewitt a Fremont gang member who presents a “danger to the community,” citing a prior robbery conviction where she allegedly pistol-whipped the victim, and offered images from her Instagram where she allegedly offered Xanax for sale. They also referenced a music video she appears in, allegedly with other gang members, where she’s seen waving cash and flashing gang signs, the motion says.

Hewitt is next due in court Jan. 6, according to court records. She was arrested Dec. 19, and is being held without bail.