4 Arrested, 3 Loaded Illegal Handguns Recovered After An Especially Eventful Traffic Stop

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A Dutchess County traffic stop took illegal guns off the streets, and led to four arrests, according to police

Town of Poughkeepsie police arrested four Poughkeepsie residents after traffic stop on Friday led to the recovery of three loaded illegal handguns, according to the department. Police identified the driver as 19-year-old J' Amori J. Douglas, and said he was driving a Chevrolet Malibu with a suspended driver's license at the time of the stop.

Police said the Chevy had been identified by the Dutchess County Analysis and Real Time Crime Intelligence Center, known as ARTIC, as potentially involved in criminal activity.

During the stop, officers recovered three loaded illegal handguns from inside the vehicle, according to the department. Police also reported that one of the handguns had been reported stolen.

Police said the four people arrested were Douglas, 20-year-old Shaheem Jackson, 21-year-old Justin A. Forbes and 18-year-old Nasir Garcia. Douglas, Forbes and Jackson were each charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree for possessing high-capacity magazines, all felony offenses, according to the department.

Douglas was also charged with criminal possession of cannabis in the third degree and aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree.

Garcia was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.

All four were arraigned in Town of Poughkeepsie Justice Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail.

Jackson's bail was set at $100,000 cash, $250,000 bond, or $500,000 partially secured bond, according to the department. Forbes and Garcia each received $50,000 cash bail, $100,000 bond, or $250,000 partially secured bond. Douglas's bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond, or $250,000 partially secured bond.

The Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department said it worked with the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police, the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and ARTIC during the traffic stop and subsequent investigation.