A Rockford traffic stop on 11th Street ended with a loaded handgun recovered from inside the vehicle and a 43-year-old man facing a stack of weapons and traffic charges. John Thomas was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant and for driving with a revoked license after officers pulled him over Sunday evening, according to police.
Rockford police say officers stopped a vehicle on 11th Street around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 25, according to rockfordnewsfirst.com, though MyStateline reported the stop occurred at 6:40 p.m. that same night. During the stop, officers reported finding a loaded gun inside the vehicle, rockfordnewsfirst.com notes.
Thomas was taken into custody on the outstanding warrant and for driving with a revoked license, police said. He now faces charges of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a firearm with no valid Firearm Owners Identification card, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and various traffic offenses, per the same account. Thomas was expected to appear in court Monday, Oct. 26.
A Pattern of Gun Finds During Rockford Traffic Stops
Thomas's arrest follows a string of similar cases in the Rockford area in recent weeks. In late September, 23-year-old Terrance Greene was charged with possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon after officers reported finding a loaded handgun with an extended magazine and cannabis during a traffic stop near East State and Longwood streets, the station reported. Greene remained in custody at the Winnebago County Jail following that arrest.
A separate stop in nearby Roscoe also turned up a weapon. Officers there located a loaded Glock 17 in the center console of a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Dorrian Edwards, according to mystateline.com. Edwards was charged with possessing a firearm without a valid Firearm Owners Identification, driving on a suspended license, possessing ammunition, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, and several moving violations, the outlet reported.
