Poughkeepsie Traffic Stop Turns Up a Ghost Gun

A teenager is facing felony charges after police say he had a ghost gun during a traffic stop in Poughkeepsie.

On June 30, at 2:22 p.m., New York State Police stopped a car traveling southbound on Clover Street in the City of Poughkeepsie for traffic violations.

According to police, inside the car was a 19-year-old male driver, a 20-year-old front seat passenger, and an 18-year-old backseat passenger, all from Poughkeepsie.

Police said officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and then determined that all three occupants were under the age of 21.

They were all reportedly asked to exit the vehicle. Police said when the 18-year-old passenger in the back got out of the car, officers saw "a large bulge consistent with a concealed object in his pants."

Police said they searched him and found a loaded, unserialized 9mm handgun, commonly referred to as a "ghost gun," equipped with a 23-round high-capacity magazine, and a plastic bag containing cocaine residue.

The 18-year-old male was charged with:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony
• Criminal Possession of a Firearm, a class E felony
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a class A misdemeanor

He was arraigned and remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center in lieu of $75,000 cash bail, $250,000 bond, or a $500,000 partially secured bond.

The 19-year-old operator and the 20-year-old front seat passenger were released from the scene without charges.