Rockland Traffic Stop Leads to Weapons, Drug Charges

WEST NYACK, NY — A passenger in a car stopped on Palisades Center Drive at the thruway ramp for an expired out-of-state temporary registration faces weapon and drug charges.

The incident at the New York State Thruway ramp took place at 7:21 p.m. Aug. 30, Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco said in an announcement about the arrests.

During the course of the stop, a passenger was found to have an illegal Cobra .380 caliber handgun, a black stiletto knife, drug paraphernalia and a small amount of narcotics.

Though the 30-year-old initially gave sheriff's deputies a false name, he was identified as Darian Prentiss of Maringouin, Louisiana.

He was charged with a felony and three misdemeanors:

• Criminal Possession of a weapon in the 3 rd degree (Previous conviction), a felony
• Criminal Impersonation 2 nd degree, misdemeanor
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7 th Degree, misdemeanor
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4 th degree, misdemeanor

Prentiss has an outstanding warrant for his arrest from Louisiana; however, the charges are for a misdemeanor and are therefore not extraditable, Falco said.

Prentiss was taken before Judge Ascher for arraignment in the Town of Clarkstown Justice
Court and released with a return court date of Sept. 27, Falco said.

The vehicle was impounded, and the driver was released on summons returnable to the Town of Clarkstown Justice Court.