Man Arrested with Two Pounds of Marijuana in His Backpack, Says County Police

A 32-year-old Bridgeport, Conn. man, who is alleged to have been carrying two pounds of marijuana in his backpack, was arrested by Westchester County Police Monday following a traffic stop on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Harrison.

Gamel Grant was a passenger in the pulled over car, and he was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree, a felony, and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia 2nd Degree, a misdemeanor, according to police. He was being held in lieu of a $5,000 bond pending an appearance in Harrison Town Court Tuesday.

The driver of the vehicle was issued a summons for illegal possession of marijuana and driving a car with overly tinted windows, but he was released at the scene.

After pulling over the vehicle northbound on the Hutch near the I-287 interchange just before 1 p.m., the officer smelled marijuana and had the two climb out of the car. A search turned up two dozen small plastic bags of pot.

Below is the press release from state police about the arrest:

A Connecticut man was arrested Monday after he was found in possession of two pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop on the Hutchinson River Parkway in Harrison.

Gamel Grant, 32, of Bridgeport was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree, a felony, and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia 2nd Degree, a misdemeanor.

The incident began at 12:51 p.m. when Westchester County Police Officer Steven Stromberg stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on the northbound Hutchinson River Parkway near the Interstate 287 interchange. When Stromberg was speaking the driver, he detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the car.

After removing the driver and a passenger from the vehicle, Stromberg observed several small clear plastic bags containing marijuana among some clothing items on the rear seat. A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up a knapsack containing more bags of marijuana and a scale. In total, 24 small bags with a combined weight of two pounds of marijuana were seized.

Grant, who was the passenger in the car, told Stromberg that the marijuana in the knapsack was his.

Grant was taken into custody at the scene and transported for booking to Westchester County Police headquarters in Hawthorne. He was arraigned in North Castle Town Court and was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail at the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla pending an appearance today in Harrison Town Court.

The driver was issued summonses for Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and having illegally tinted windows on his vehicle, violations, and was released at the scene.

Photo: Gamel Grant. Photo credit: Westchester County Police