Man faces gun charge after traffic stop in Ypsilanti Township

A man is facing a federal gun charge after he was pulled over earlier this month in Ypsilanti Township, and investigators said they found a loaded handgun and some marijuana in the car.

William Pickering is charged in a federal criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

It's unclear when he will make an initial appearance in federal court in Detroit.

Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies pulled over a car he was driving at 10 p.m. Feb. 7 near Ford Boulevard and Ecorse Road because it had a stolen license plate, federal court records say.

Deputies arrested him on a warrant for failing to appear in court and searched him, allegedly seizing three small bags of marijuana, a marijuana pipe and digital scale, according to an affidavit by ATF Special Agent Ted Crews. Deputies also searched the car and said they found a loaded handgun on the floor behind the front passenger seat, the affidavit says.

Pickering allegedly told deputies, "That twenty-five, that's mine." After being read his Miranda Rights, deputies said he again told them the .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun belonged to him, the affidavit says.

Pickering is prohibited from having a gun because of felony convictions that include carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent and possession of a controlled substance.

Pickering's age and hometown were not available.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.