International Gun Smuggler Catches A Lyft In Lufkin, Texas
A routine traffic stop has led to the arrest of an international gun smuggler in Lufkin, Texas. According to the Lufkin Daily News, an Angelina County Sheriff's Officer was patrolling HWY 59 near the north side of Lufkin on the evening of Wednesday, November 6, 2024.
The sheriff's deputy pulled over a 2024 Toyota Corolla operated by a Lyft driver. During the stop, the officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
The deputy used that probable cause to start a search that led to a much larger discovery. According to Sheriff Tom Selman, the officer then asked the driver and the rider in the back to get out of the car.
Texas DPS And ACSO Work Together To Recover Stolen Guns
During the traffic stop, a passing Texas DPS trooper provided backup as the ACSO deputy searched the car. In the course of searching the trunk, the deputy found marijuana and two large bags.
Inside the bags were a large number of handguns, a short-barrel rifle, magazines, and ammunition. Officers found that there were 20 semi-auto pistols in all, many reported stolen in the Greater Houston area.
The female Lyft customer was identified as Jahtaya O’Day Jah-Kiara Hamilton of Leamington, Ontario. The Canadian National said that all of the bags and their contents belonged to her, according to the press release.
Hamilton Engaged In Multi-National Arms Smuggling
The Lyft driver got a ticket for speeding, and Hamilton went to jail. She has been charged with a prohibited weapon for the shotgun, a third-degree felony.
She also has four State Jail felony charges for theft of a firearm. During the investigation, deputies surmised that the female had flown to Houston, obtained the illegal items, and then headed back to Canada using a series of Lyft drivers.
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The rideshare driver ticketed was taking her to Little Rock, Arkansas. To help in the investigation, field agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were called in.
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Hamilton sits in the Angelina County Jail now awaiting federal authorities to take custody of her and the guns.
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