CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Police noticed a motorist in the waterfront area with a heavily-tinted license plate cover and after a traffic stop, the man was arrested on a gun charge Wednesday night, authorities said.
Lashorn Samuel, 33, of Charlotte Amalie, was arrested and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Members of the Operation Over Watch Task Force, a VIPD led Anti-Violent Crime Operation, were patrolling the area of the Elmo D. Roebuck Sr. drive about 9:46 p.m. Wednesday, according to the VIPD.
Officers observed a silver Toyota Camry bearing a license plate with a cover that was heavily tinted, police said.
Officers initiated a traffic stop and ordered the operator of the vehicle to exit the vehicle with his
driver’s license, registration and insurance, according to police.
When he stepped out of the vehicle, officers observed that the operator of the vehicle was Lashorn Samuel, a known felon, VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.
Samuel was patted down for officer safety and two Glock .40 cal. magazines with the capacity to hold 15 rounds in each magazine were discovered as well as a small clear bag containing a green leafy substance later identified as marijuana was discovered in Samuel’s front left pant pocket, according to Dratte.
Officers then approached the vehicle to determine if any other occupants were in the vehicle.
There were no other occupants, however officers detected a strong odor of what appeared to be marijuana emanating from the vehicle, according to police.
“A search of the vehicle revealed a radio scanner and a Glock .40 handgun under the driver seat,” the police spokesman said.
Samuel was placed under arrest and taken to the Richard Callwood Command where he was booked and processed.
He was remanded to the custody of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing, set for today at 10:00 a.m.