A Pottstown man who was a passenger in one of hundreds of vehicles ushered into a sobriety checkpoint over the weekend was found to be in possession of a ghost gun with an extended ammunition magazine, police said.
Karon Brown, 20, was arrested on firearms law violations and possessing a small amount of marijuana at the checkpoint along Route 422 in Exeter Township. Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he’s under 21 years old.
He was free on $40,000 bail after arraignment Saturday before District Judge Sandra L. Fegely in Reading Central Court.
According to investigators:
Officers smelled marijuana when the vehicle in which Brown was a passenger entered the checkpoint. The driver, who was subsequently arrested for suspected DUI, was directed to the field sobriety testing area along with Brown and another passenger.
Officers noticed a large bulge from the front-pocket area of Brown’s sweatshirt. Upon searching him, they found an unregistered 9mm semi-automatic handgun. It had no serial number, making it virtually untraceable by law enforcement. The magazine had a capacity for 24 rounds but contained six.
All three occupants of the car were charged with marijuana possession.
The driver was one of seven detained for suspected DUI during the checkpoint conducted on Perkiomen Avenue at 47th Street in Reiffton from 10 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday.
A total of 11 people were charged with drug offenses, and one wanted person was taken into custody. An out-of-state driver was arrested on charges of driving under a DUI-suspended license.
Police issued 63 traffic citations, including five for child safety seat violations.
A total of 568 vehicles entered the checkpoint.
Exeter police were assisted at the checkpoint by the Exeter Township Fire Department and the township road department and the following police departments: Cumru, Muhlenberg, South Heidelberg townships, Central Berks Regional, Laureldale, Hamburg, Wyomissing and Shillington.
