Weapons Charge Tops Unregistered, Unlicensed Charges for Beacon Man

Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of a Beacon man on a felony weapon possession charge following a traffic stop in Philipstown.

At 7:15 p.m. Jan. 11, Deputy Sheriff Brian Aisenstat stopped a motorist who had committed traffic violations on Route 9. The deputy discovered that the suspect’s unregistered vehicle was last registered in the State of Delaware but was bearing Ohio license plates that belonged to another vehicle.

Aisenstat further determined that the driver, later identified as Tavon S. Luster, 20, had provided a driver’s license bearing the name of another person and had represented himself with that false identity.

The deputy arrested Luster and charged him with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree and with Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree, misdemeanors; Operating an Unregistered Motor Vehicle, a violation; and numerous traffic violations.

While conducting an inventory search of the vehicle pursuant to the arrest, Aisenstat found an unregistered 9mm semiautomatic pistol underneath the driver seat. The weapon was fully loaded with a 13 round magazine and an additional round in the chamber with the safety off. Luster admitted that the handgun belonged to him and had been in his possession for over a year.

Luster was then additionally charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a felony; and with Unlawful Possession of Certain Ammunition Feeding Devices, a misdemeanor.

He was processed at the Putnam County Correctional Facility and held pending arraignment.

Then on Jan. 12, he was arraigned by Town of Putnam Valley Justice Gina Capone and committed to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond pending a future appearance in the Town of Philipstown Justice Court.

If found guilty of the felony charge, the defendant could face up to 15 years in a New York State Correctional Facility and a fine of up to $15,000.