Man faces felony charges after Lower Merion traffic stop reveals gun, police say

A Philadelphia man is facing felony charges after a traffic stop found not only marijuana in the vehicle, but also an unregistered gun in Lower Merion Township.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police, on Nov. 17 around 1:18 a.m., police said they were following a black Buick Verano with a Pennsylvania license plate as it traveled along Interstate 76 in the eastbound lanes near mile marker 334.9 in Lower Merion Township when it was observed as traveling out of the lane of travel on four separate occasions. Police said that they then entered the right lane of travel in order to conduct a traffic stop.

After following behind the Buick, police said that they activated emergency lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop. The car was then pulled over to the right shoulder, however still partially blocking the right lane of travel, according to police. Troopers asked the driver to pull forward to keep the lane of travel open, said police.

Upon approaching the vehicle after it was moved forward, police said that they made contact with the occupants of the car, which included three males. The driver, a man residing in Pottstown, reportedly had an active arrest warrant out of Philadelphia.

While speaking to the driver, the police said a “strong odor of raw marijuana” was emanating from the vehicle. Police noted that the odor was also “observed coming from the sweatshirt” of the car’s front-seat passenger, Latif Jamar Custis.

Troopers said that, because there was marijuana also in plain sight, in addition to the outstanding warrant, they instructed all occupants to exit the vehicle. After obtaining verbal consent to search the car from the driver, police said they did so. During the search, police said they found two prescription pills labeled as Doxycycline Monohydrate (ten pills total), which were prescribed to a person not in the vehicle. Additionally the trooper’s search recovered a black Glock 19 firearm, as well as 13 9mm rounds in the loaded gun.

Around 1:30 a.m., all three occupants were detained at the scene. While all three denied ownership and possession of the gun, an NICS check of the firearm revealed it was not reported as stolen, but that there was no record of sale on file, according to police. The Buick was towed from the scene, and the three car occupants were transported to Pennsylvania State Police Barracks Troop K in Philadelphia.

Custis, 24, of the 1300 block of West Clementine Street in Philadelphia, was charged with a felony count of conspiracy: possession of a prohibited firearm, a felony count of conspiracy: firearms not to be carried without a license, and related summary offenses. 

Custis is held in Montgomery County’s jail unable to post a $5,000 monetary bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 4 before Magisterial District Judge Henry J. Schireson at 1 p.m.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.