1 Faces Gun Charges After Trespassing, Smoking Pot Atop Washers: Cops

CLARKSTOWN, NY — A call about a nuisance led to a felony arrest after police took a closer look, according to authorities.

The Clarkstown Police Department announced over the weekend that on Wednesday, around 12:45 p.m., officers responded to a report of three men trespassing and smoking marijuana in the laundry room of the New City Garden Apartments, on N. Main St, in New City.

Once on the scene, police found that there were indeed three men sitting on top of washing machines while smoking marijuana.

After identifying the men, officers conducted a warrant check, which found that one of the men, identified as 24-year-old Julio Martinez, of Stony Point, had an active warrant out of Dutchess County for possession of a weapon. After officers handcuffed and searched Martinez, they found a loaded 9mm magazine in the pocket of his vest.

A search of the area where Martinez had been sitting led to police finding a SIG semi-automatic handgun. It was determined by police that the recovered firearm was the same weapon reported stolen to the Clarkstown Police Department a week earlier.

Detectives interviewed the other two men involved and released them.

In addition to the warrant out of Dutchess County, Martinez now faces the following additional charges: felony second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (loaded firearm), felony criminal possession of a firearm, felony criminal possession of stolen property, and misdemeanor unlawful possession of certain ammunition feeding devices.

Martinez was arraigned in Clarkstown Justice Court where his bail was set at $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond, or $40,000 partially secured bond. He was taken to the Rockland County Jail after arraignment.

“This arrest reflects the ongoing efforts of the Clarkstown Police Department to ensure the safety and security of our community by addressing illicit criminal behavior,” police said.