A traffic stop on the Long Island Expressway in Old Westbury did not stay simple for long, according to state police. Troopers say a loaded handgun, a 19-round magazine and a knife were found tucked under the driver’s seat on the afternoon of May 29, and the driver was taken into custody on multiple weapons charges.
What troopers say they found
Troopers from the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit, working with narcotics K9 Kane, pulled over a Dodge Ram for multiple traffic violations at about 3:12 p.m. on Friday, May 29. During the stop, they reported finding a Springfield XDM 9mm pistol stashed beneath the driver’s seat. The firearm was loaded with a magazine containing 19 rounds, and officers also seized what they described as a dangerous knife, as reported by Daily Voice.
Charges and arraignment
New York State Police say the driver, identified as 42-year-old Orlando Silva Rodriguez of Phoenix, Arizona, was arrested and charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon: Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree for the knife. He was arraigned in Nassau County District Court at 9 a.m. on May 30, according to a New York State Police public information report.
Legal context
State law defines a “large capacity ammunition feeding device” as a magazine or similar device that can accept more than ten rounds, and possession of such a device is treated as a weapons offense under New York law. Penalties and the particular charge prosecutors pursue depend on the statutes and circumstances, and the state penal code lays out the definitions and related offenses, according to NY Penal Law.
What’s next
Rodriguez’s case will continue in Nassau County courts, where prosecutors will decide how to pursue the weapons counts. The New York State Police public information report provided the initial details, and further court filings will show the next steps in the case.
