A routine traffic stop in the dead of night on the Taconic State Parkway turned into a weapons bust, after Putnam County deputies say they found a loaded handgun, a high-capacity magazine and stolen license plates in a car rolling through Putnam Valley.
Shortly after 3 a.m. on Sunday, May 10, a deputy pulled over a southbound vehicle for multiple alleged traffic violations on the Taconic, according to a news release from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. The stop, logged at about 3:05 a.m., led to a search of the vehicle that deputies say turned up a loaded 9mm handgun, a loaded high-capacity magazine and a set of stolen Connecticut license plates.
Both occupants of the car were taken into custody at the scene and brought to the Putnam County Correctional Facility for processing, the sheriff’s office said.
Arrests and charges
Authorities identified the two suspects as 22-year-old Peter Pacheco of Yonkers and 24-year-old Kaiya Wimbush of Albany. Both were charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, Criminal Possession of a Firearm and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the fifth degree, according to Daily Voice Yonkers.
Pacheco also received several traffic tickets tied to the alleged violations that first drew the deputy’s attention, Daily Voice Yonkers reported.
Court and bail
The Putnam County District Attorney’s Office recommended bail at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s office. After their arraignment in Town of Putnam Valley Court, both defendants were released on their own recognizance.
The sheriff’s office noted that all suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
What the charges mean
The second-degree weapon charge listed by the sheriff’s office is a class C felony under New York law, while the other weapons, firearm and stolen property counts carry their own classifications. Those statutes are spelled out in the New York Penal Law. Local prosecutors will determine whether to pursue any additional charges as the investigation continues.
