Stolen Rifle Found During Traffic Stop; Silver Spring Man Charged

SILVER SPRING, MD — Criminal charges were filed against a 28-year-old Silver Spring man after Montgomery County Police discovered, during a traffic stop, a loaded semi-automatic rifle hidden inside the vehicle he was riding in, according to a release.

Around 11:25 p.m., on Feb. 17, officers initiated a traffic after they noticed a Toyota Camry traveling Eastbound on Wisteria Drive and Great Seneca Highway was operating on a suspended registration, according to police.

The officers notified the Toyota driver, 41-year-old Freya Marla Casanova of an unknown address, that the Department of Motor Vehicle Administration had issued a tag pickup order because the vehicle lacked MVA automobile requirements, according to the release.

Police told Casonova that the Toyota was going to be towed in accordance with departmental procedures. Humberto Guerra Jr. of Silver Spring, was a passenger in the vehicle, was allowed to leave the scene.

During consensual search of Casanova's belongings, the officers discovered drug paraphernalia containing methamphetamine, which provided them with probable cause to search the car, according to police. It was during that search that a loaded semi-automatic rifle, with a 50 round drum magazine concealed in a gym bag was found.

Investigators determined that the rifle had been reported stolen out of Alexandria, Virginia and that it was in the possession of Guerra, who was prohibited from possessing a firearm. The drug paraphernalia was determined to be Casanova's, according to police. On March 1, police filed criminal charges against Guerra and Casanova.