On Thursday, September 19, 2019, at approximately 2:18 a.m., Officer Blauvelt conducted a traffic stop in the 300 block of East Kennedy Street. Upon speaking with the occupants, Officer Blauvelt smelled and observed marihuana inside the vehicle. Officer Blauvelt then conducted a search of the occupants and the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle a loaded .22 caliber Sig Sauer handgun, approximately 3.5 grams of “crack” cocaine, and marihuana was located. A subsequent search of the handgun yielded that it had been reported stolen out of Georgia. The investigation led to the arrest of one of the occupants, Kani Sanders, 21, of Syracuse.
Sanders was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, and criminal use drug paraphernalia in the second degree. Sanders was subsequently transported to the Justice Center and lodged on the above listed charges.
The driver of the vehicle, Tania Crowder, 20, of Syracuse, was issued one traffic ticket for failure to stop at a stop sign, and an appearance ticket for unlawful possession of marihuana.