Utica, NY – A 19-year-old Utica man was arrested Tuesday after police allegedly found a handgun during a patrol stop on Eagle Street.
According to the Utica Police Department, members of the GIVE Unit and Tactical Unit were conducting proactive patrols with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office around 6:30 p.m. Feb. 11 when they initiated a citizen stop near Park Avenue.
During the course of the stop, officers conducted a pat frisk and reported feeling what appeared to be a handgun tucked into the individual’s waistband. Police said they lifted the man’s shirt and confirmed it was a handgun, which was then removed from his person.
Jaquel Phillips, 19, of Utica, was taken into custody and transported to the Utica Police Department. Following the investigation, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree for an extended magazine, criminal possession of a firearm, and violations of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Police did not release additional details about the circumstances leading to the stop.
The case remains pending in Utica City Court.
Young adults and local commuters in the Eagle Street corridor may notice continued proactive patrols in the area.
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