Two people, including a 16-year-old, face multiple drug and gun charges after a traffic stop in Albemarle County on Tuesday.
Zaquan Thorne, a 20-year-old Charlottesville resident, has been charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled substance and possession of a concealed weapon.
Thorne’s 16-year-old associate, whose identity has not been disclosed given his age, has been charged with possession of a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by a person under 18 and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
Thorne was behind the wheel and the teenager was in the passenger’s seat Tuesday evening when Albemarle County police said officers initiated a traffic stop for failure to maintain a travel lane.
After pulling Thorne over, police said in a statement issued Wednesday, "officers observed the occupants moving items around inside the vehicle and asked both the driver and passenger to step out. Both were found to be in possession of firearms. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed marijuana, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and additional ammunition."
Both driver and passenger were arrested and charged. Thorne was booked at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail on Wednesday, where he remains in custody without bond. Police did not say where or if the 16-year-old was booked.
The Albemarle County Police Department attributed the arrests to its partnership with the FBI on Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Launched in 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. The project is coordinated by the U.S. attorneys’ offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories.
Albemarle County joined the operation in August 2023.
"These arrests reflect the Albemarle County Police Department’s continued efforts to proactively address gun violence and illegal drug activity in our community," the police department said in its Wednesday statement. "Through targeted enforcement efforts like Project Safe Neighborhoods, ACPD remains committed to reducing violent crime and keeping firearms out of the hands of those who should not possess them."
Source: www.dailyprogress.com