Police in Nashville say an 18-year-old man was taken into custody Friday after detectives discovered a loaded handgun hidden in his groin while he rode in a car with two children in the backseat, including a 2-month-old baby. Investigators say the teen is now facing a stack of sex-crime, weapons, and drug charges after officers first spotted the vehicle at a gas station, then pulled it over near Bell Road and Arbor Common.
Police Say Loaded Gun Was Pointed Toward Kids
Metro Nashville police identified the passenger as 18-year-old Jaylun Harrison. Detectives say they recognized him at a gas station on Hobson Pike and followed up by stopping the gray Nissan Altima. After officers reported smelling marijuana, they searched the car and say they turned up about 42 grams of marijuana along with three open commercial marijuana packages in the center console. They also documented finding a box of live 9mm rounds in the passenger-side door pocket, a loose .40-caliber round on the rear floorboard, and a black ski mask on the front passenger floorboard.
According to investigators, an initial pat-down did not reveal a weapon. During a more thorough search, officers say they found a loaded FN Herstal 509 handgun with a tactical light concealed in Harrison’s genital area, and police wrote that the way it was tucked meant the muzzle was aimed toward the children in the backseat. Court papers list charges that include aggravated rape, solicitation of a minor (rape), evading arrest, felon-in-possession of a weapon, and two counts of reckless endangerment, according to WSMV.
What Tennessee Law Says About These Allegations
State records show that crimes such as rape of a child and aggravated rape of a child are prosecuted as some of the most severe felonies in Tennessee and can carry the possibility of life sentences in specified situations. Legislative language and court guidance indicate that aggravated-rape-of-a-child and related child-sex offenses are treated as Class A felonies, which can trigger enhanced sentencing rules for convicted child predators, per Tennessee legislative text. Separate weapons and reckless-endangerment counts could give prosecutors additional leverage when it comes to charging decisions and bond arguments.
Local Crackdowns Fuel Broader Community Concerns
The case lands in the middle of an aggressive push on child-exploitation investigations around the Nashville area. Nearby Sumner County recently announced a series of arrests in an operation targeting people accused of exploiting minors. Sheriff’s-office statements and local coverage describe investigators pouring resources into tracking suspects who prey on children both online and in person, a trend outlined in six snared in Sumner County child exploitation crackdown. Officials involved in those efforts have urged residents to report suspicious behavior and warned that lengthy follow-up investigations often trail an initial arrest.
Police say Harrison was taken into custody without incident, and an affidavit states he admitted to smoking marijuana before getting into the vehicle. A judge is slated to review the case on Tuesday, and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office currently lists him as not eligible for release, according to WSMV. Upcoming court dockets and charging decisions will determine whether prosecutors seek formal indictments and what conditions, if any, might apply to his custody before trial.
