From the Westchester County Police-WCPD / Patrol Services Division
A Virginia fugitive wanted on a federal narcotics trafficking charge was arrested – and a loaded handgun was seized – following a traffic stop by a Patrol officer earlier this week in Eastchester.
About 10:15 a.m. on Monday, the officer observed a 2023 Hyundai Sonata with heavily tinted windows traveling on the eastbound Cross County Parkway. A license plate check revealed that the vehicle’s North Carolina registration was expired.
The officer followed the Hyundai on to New Rochelle Road and made a traffic stop as it entered a gas station. A check of his ID revealed the warrant lodged by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Virginia.
The warrant charges the 34-year-old man with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
After the suspect was placed in custody, an impound search of the vehicle turned up a loaded .38-caliber revolver and a small amount of heroin, not to mention $12,034 in cash in the center console. (Well, looks like we did mention it, didn’t we? But it seems like a bit more than you need for a fill-up at the Mobil and a few snacks for the road.)
Anyway, once the handgun was found, the man’s passengers – two women from Rhode Island — were also taken into custody.
The trio was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd Degree, felonies. One gun, two charges? Yup. The second charge was lodged because all have prior criminal convictions that bar them from possessing a firearm.
As for the heroin, the driver was additionally charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree, a misdemeanor.
Another job well done by our vigilant Patrol officers!
And, as is usually the case when felony charges are involved, our detectives in the General Investigations Unit got involved and helped sort the whole thing out. Did you spot the gold detective’s shield in the corner of the photo above? That’s why it’s there. And now you know.
