ZELIENOPLE — A stolen gun and nearly 2½ ounces of marijuana were seized during a weekend traffic stop, authorities said.
Zelienople police arrested Rio Darnell A. Gilchrist, 27, of Sharon, Mercer County, on a pair of felony charges after the vehicle in which he was riding was stopped about 8:40 p.m. Sunday on Route 19 near the Bilo Gas- N-Go store.
Patrolman Sean Adomaitis was working a roving patrol for the Butler County DUI Task Force, according to court documents, when he noticed a sport utility vehicle turn slowly into the Bilo parking lot without signaling. The officer said he approached the vehicle and noticed an “extremely strong odor” of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
The driver, a woman, admitted having “smoked a joint” before being stopped, police said.
But Adomaitis and other assisting officers suspected the scent they smelled was raw — not burned — marijuana.
Gilchrist, who was riding in the back seat, was taken out and the driver gave her consent to search the vehicle.
In the back pocket of the seat, directly in front of the defendant, was a green Crown Royal bag, police said. The bag contained a loaded Ruger .380-caliber pistol and a box of ammunition.
A check of the National Crime Information Center database showed the gun had previously been reported stolen in New Castle.
Police arrested Gilchrist, who was searched and found with four Ziploc bags hiding a combined 68.2 grams of suspected marijuana.
Under state law, a small amount of marijuana is defined as being no more than 30 grams, or a little more than an ounce. More than 30 grams can be a misdemeanor or a felony.
District Judge Sue Haggerty arraigned Gilchrist on felony and misdemeanor drug possession, and felony charges of receiving stolen property and carrying a firearm without a concealed carry license. He was placed in Butler County Prison on $15,000 bail.
