A simple tag violation in Charlotte's North Tryon Division turned into a full-blown gun bust Wednesday, after officers pulled over a car with a revoked registration and said they found four firearms inside.
According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, three adults and a 17-year-old juvenile were arrested at the scene. Investigators later said one of the guns came back as stolen, and another was equipped with a conversion "switch" device that can turn it into a fully automatic weapon.
Traffic Stop Leads To Four Guns And Four Arrests
In a post from CMPD News, officers said the car was stopped after they noticed the vehicle's registration had been revoked. That stop, recorded under report number 20260425-1636-01, led to a probable-cause search of the vehicle and the discovery of the four firearms.
Police identified the adults taken into custody as Rodney Lamar Monteith Jr., Kishawn Shamarcus Agee and Jaheim Jayqwan Murphy. CMPD said Monteith Jr. was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon of mass destruction. Agee and Murphy were each charged with carrying a concealed weapon.
The 17-year-old juvenile, whose name was not released, faces several counts: carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a stolen firearm and resisting, delaying or obstructing, according to CMPD News.
Police Say Proactive Traffic Work Pays Off
In its online statement, CMPD News credited what it called proactive policing for the seizure.
"Proactive policing keeps dangerous weapons off our streets by intervening early and removing illegal firearms before they can be used to harm others," the department wrote.
Officers added that routine traffic enforcement often opens the door to bigger cases, especially when they spot evidence in plain view or detect the odor of narcotics, which can provide probable cause to search a vehicle. In this case, the revoked tag was the starting point for what turned into a gun investigation.
Why Police Worry About Switch Devices
Conversion "switch" devices have law enforcement on edge because they can transform a standard semiautomatic handgun into a fully automatic weapon that can spit out rounds in rapid bursts.
The Washington Post has reported on how these small, often cheaply made parts have helped put de facto machine guns back on American streets. Closer to home, WBTV recently covered an April case in Charlotte where officers said they recovered a full-auto conversion device and charged a teenager with possession of a weapon of mass destruction.
Another North Tryon Stop, More Guns
The latest North Tryon stop fits a pattern CMPD has been talking about: guns turning up in what start as basic traffic cases.
Local coverage shows that a March traffic stop in the same division led to officers recovering three handguns, one reportedly fitted with a switch device, according to WSOC-TV. The same incident also involved marijuana and a seized vehicle, highlighted in 3 guns, weed bust and seized ride coverage.
What The Law Says About These Weapons
North Carolina law gives prosecutors room to pursue tougher felony charges when particularly dangerous firearms or accessories are involved, including stolen guns and devices that can turn a weapon into something far more lethal.
The statutory framework on weapons of mass destruction and related gun offenses is laid out by the North Carolina General Assembly, which details how unlawful manufacture, possession and transport of certain weapons can be charged.
All those taken into custody are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. CMPD asked anyone with information about the case to contact Crime Stoppers or the department's non-emergency line. Court filings in the coming days are expected to show what formal charges prosecutors decide to pursue.
