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Officer Jeffrey Welsh and Class II Special Police Officer Nicola Onnembo stopped the rented 2021 Chevrolet Equinox at the intersection of Pompton Road and Ailsa Avenue on Pompton Road late Saturday, Lt. George Guzman said.
The vehicle had been "swerving over the double-yellow lines” even though there weren’t any debris or defects in the road, Guzman said.
The officers immediately smelled raw pot as they approached the vehicle, occupied by a driver and two rear-seat passengers, the lieutenant said.
Officer Semir Celoski and Class II Special Police Officer Wassim Helwani joined their colleagues at the scene, along with Passaic County sheriff’s officers. Together, they got all three occupants out of the vehicle, Guzman said.
One of the passengers, 21-year-old Sherron Torain, told the officers that he had a handgun beneath the rear seat, the lieutenant said.
They recovered the .45-caliber Glock Model 21 -- loaded with nine hollow-point rounds – along with a bag of marijuana that Torain had in his right pant pocket, Guzman said.
Torain was sent to the Passaic County Jail to await a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson on charges that include possession of a weapon, a high-capacity magazine and prohibited ammo, as well as drugs.
“The handgun was logged into evidence and it will be submitted for ballistic analysis,” Guzman said. “We thank the Passaic County Sheriff's Office for their assistance.”
“I am proud of the continuous effort by our men and women in their dedication to proactive and professional police work,” Poice Chief Angelo J. Daniele said.
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