Police: Traffic Stop Turns Up Illegally Defaced Loaded Handgun

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — New York State troopers stopped a car on the Palisades Interstate Parkway for a vehicle and traffic law violation at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said an investigation after the stop revealed the occupants of the 2006 Volkswagen Passat were in possession of an illegally defaced loaded Taurus Model P2-22 handgun.

Edison Estevez, 20, of Middletown, and Shailene Ventura Vasquez, 22, of the Bronx, were charged with criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm 2nd degree (loaded firearm), criminal possession of a weapon 3rd degree-defaced weapon, all felonies.

Ventura was additionally charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th degree.

Both men were arraigned at the Town of Stony Point Court and sent to Rockland County Jail.