Long Energy Banner

Police: Suspended registration leads to weapons arrests

0
Share

By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

Police say numerous weapons were found inside a vehicle that was stopped on Route 9W for a suspended registration. Courtesy of Bethlehem Police Department

BETHLEHEM — A traffic stop for a suspended registration led to two arrests on several weapons charges after police found multiple weapons in the vehicle, including bomb-making materials, a loaded firearm and an ammunition-feeding device, according to Bethlehem Police.

On Oct. 10 at around 10:11 p.m., Bethlehem Police stopped a vehicle that was traveling on Route 9W when they received a License Plate Reader notification for a suspended registration for no insurance.

The vehicle was pulled over in the Walmart parking lot.

Kyle Brush, 35, of Earlton, was driving and was issued several traffic tickets for Vehicle and Traffic Law violations, including a suspended vehicle registration, suspended license and operating without insurance, police said.

Brush and the passenger, Rachael Thompson, 40, of Albany, were released from the scene and police proceeded to arrange to have the vehicle towed.

“When officers conducted an inventory search prior to towing the vehicle they located numerous illegal knives, a rife (ghost gun), a ballistic vest, large capacity pistol magazines, bomb-making materials, brass knuckles, throwing stars, a silencer, and an expandable baton, all of which are considered weapons under the New York State Penal Law,” according to a statement from Bethlehem Police.

Thompson was found inside the Walmart store and was arrested. Brush was arrested a short time later on South Pearl Street in Albany, police said.

Brush was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon/loaded firearm, a class C felony; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon/ bomb/silencer/machine gun, a class D felony; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon/ammunition feeding device, a class D felony; third-degree criminal possession of an assault weapon, a class D felony; third-degree criminal sale of a firearm/unauthorized person, a class D felony; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon/previous conviction, a class D felony; and several Vehicle and Traffic Law misdemeanors.

Thompson was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, a class E felony, and fifth-degree conspiracy, a class A misdemeanor. Thompson also had a pistol — a ghost gun — when she was arrested.

A ghost gun is a firearm that has been privately assembled and is untraceable, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Brush was arraigned in Town of Bethlehem Court and remanded to the Albany County Correctional Facility on $150,000 bond or $50,000 cash. Thompson was issued an appearance ticket and released.

The Bethlehem Police Department was assisted by the Albany County Sheriff’s Department, the New York State Police and the City of Albany Police Department.

Related Posts