Middlebrook Pike Bust: Cops Nab Stolen Gun, Cash And Suspected Pot

A routine traffic stop on Middlebrook Pike turned into a full-blown bust on Saturday, after Knoxville's Community Engagement Response Team pulled over a blue Kia Sportage and ended up seizing a stolen handgun, suspected marijuana, and more than $900 in cash, according to the Knoxville Police Department.

Officers say the SUV had been flagged as a possible suspect vehicle in a shots-fired incident two days earlier. When CERT officers walked up to the car, they reported a strong smell of marijuana, which set the tone for the rest of the stop.

The driver, identified by police as James NiyonKuru, was asked to step out of the vehicle. A K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics, and a pat-down of NiyonKuru turned up several plastic baggies, police said. Officers then searched a backpack and reported finding more than $900 in cash and about 13.06 grams of suspected marijuana. A handgun recovered during the stop came back as stolen out of Blount County, according to a records check.

Arrests and charges

On Facebook, the department called it "great work" by CERT officers, crediting them with pulling a stolen firearm and drugs off the street during the traffic stop.

The Knoxville Police Department says NiyonKuru was arrested and charged with Schedule VI drug violations. Passenger Joseph Uwize faces several counts, including possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, theft of a firearm, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and Schedule VI drug violations.

How CERT and K-9 teams helped

The Community Engagement Response Team is a proactive unit that zeroes in on neighborhoods and individuals linked to violent crime, operating outside regular dispatch calls. K-9 teams are routinely brought in during stops like this to help locate narcotics.

According to the Knoxville Police Department, CERT was launched in 2021 with a focus on targeting known, repeat offenders.

Local context

Stops like Saturday's are hardly one-offs in Knoxville or the broader region. Traffic enforcement has regularly turned up stolen guns and illegal drugs, which law enforcement points to as proof that proactive policing and K-9 deployments are key tools in their arsenal.

WVLT reported a June 2025 traffic stop on MLK Jr. Avenue that led to multiple arrests and the seizure of a stolen handgun and more than 22 grams of suspected crack cocaine.

Anyone with information about Saturday's stop is asked to contact the Knoxville Police Department or submit tips to East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers. Non-emergency numbers and detailed tip instructions are available on the department's website, where the Knoxville Police Department lists contact information and how to send tips online.