A 40-year-old Ocala man was arrested during a traffic stop for possessing a stolen handgun.
On November 2 at around 8:45 p.m., an Ocala Police Department officer observed a silver Honda run the stop sign located at NW Old Blitchton Road and NW 10th Street in Ocala.
The officer pulled over the car in the 2700 block of NW 10th Street.
According to the OPD report, the officer made contact with the driver and sole occupant, Labrant Latreal James, and the officer noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.
James told the officer that the car belonged to the mother of his child. He then began searching through the center console and glove box looking for the car’s registration and insurance.
The officer noticed that James spent time in the center console removing a few papers and digging around inside.
When the officer advised that a search needed to be conducted inside the car, James began reaching under the driver’s seat and into the center console of the car, ignoring the officer’s commands to stop.
The officer removed James from the vehicle and placed him in handcuffs.
During a search of the car, the officer opened the center console and observed a black H&K 9mm handgun inside that was upside down. The handgun had a loaded magazine, but the chamber was empty.
The officer also found a rolled marijuana joint inside the center console, and a black bag labeled “THC concentrate” was inside the center console cup holder.
A search of the handgun’s serial number revealed that it was reported stolen out of Zephyrhills Police Department.
A criminal history check of James showed several felony convictions including a 2001 guilty conviction for carrying a firearm without a permit.
James told the officer that he had dropped off a close friend, and that the friend must have left the handgun in the car without his knowledge.
James was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail. He faces felony charges for grand theft of a firearm and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, along with three drug possession misdemeanors.
He was released on bond and a court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.