Officers have arrested one man after a police K-9 found an unregistered handgun hidden in his passenger seat, authorities said.
Trenton resident Richard Booker, 26, was arrested and charged with prohibited possession of a firearm and firearms not to be carried without a license. He was released on $100,000 surety bond.
Advertisements
According to Middletown police, officers initiated a traffic stop on September 26 shortly before 4 a.m. after they observed a white Audi with tinted windows traveling southbound on I-95.
Officer Brian Agostino noted a strong odor was emitting from the vehicle once he approached it. While the driver, Booker, did not have a driver’s license, he did present Agostino with an identification card from New Jersey, according to court documents.
Noting the strong odor of marijuana, the officer contacted Officer Charles Palmer of The Bristol Borough Police Department, who he had been notified was in the area with a K9.
Advertisements
When asked if there was marijuana in the vehicle, Booker maintained that there wasn’t, according to the affidavit.
According to Palmer, the K-9 had indicated on both ‘B’ pillars as well as the undercarriage of the vehicle. When searched, officers discovered a loaded Taurus PT 24/7 .45 caliber handgun hidden between the rear of the front right passenger seat and the plastic cover. It was then that Booker was taken into police custody.
Advertisements
Booker’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 7.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
