A routine traffic stop by Bensalem Township Police on July 19 led to a surprising discovery: an array of weapons and drugs hidden in a blue Buick Sedan. The vehicle, stopped due to excessive window tint, became the center of an investigation when the officer on patrol caught the scent of marijuana and spotted drug paraphernalia, prompting a search that would reveal much more. According to a social media post by the department, the sole occupant, 22-year-old Robert Cleary, did not have a medical marijuana card and declined a vehicle search.
This refusal led to the vehicle's impoundment and a search authorized by District Justice Gambardella's warrant. Tucked in the console and around the seats, including behind the driver's, a .22 caliber pistol was found loaded and a stolen 9mm Springfield Pistol, among other firearms. The police recovered suspected narcotics like fentanyl and marijuana.
Cleary, without a permit for concealed firearms, assumed center stage in a case involving serious charges including Carrying a Firearm without a License and Receiving Stolen Property—a stolen 9mm pistol tracing back to an earlier incident in Philadelphia. The Bensalem Police Department detailed, "Robert Cleary was released from the scene, but his vehicle was towed to the Bensalem Township Police Department and secured." After discovering the illegal items, an arrest warrant was swiftly secured.
It wasn't until last Thursday that Cleary, accompanied by an attorney, presented himself at the Bensalem Township Police Department to respond to the warrant. Following his arraignment, District Justice Michael Gallagher remanded him to the Bucks County Correctional Facility, with a bail of 10% of $200,000. As stated in the police's announcement, the proactive patrols continue their vigilant work against the scourge of dangerous substances and firearms illegally circulating within the community.
