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.
Comments
zanzerbar
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 8:50 p.m.
Have it tested, and if it is indeed medical grade marijuana...distribute to Licensed Marijuana care givers.
The Black Stallion3
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
Looks to me like he was arrested for exactly the same crime he was on probation for.............some never learn.
RJA
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 5:48 p.m.
Dosen't matter to me the age or where William is from. Great Job Washtenaw Deputies!! I have a little 25--caliber semi automatic handgun also. (It's mine) But will never find it in my car. The only time it was in my car was to take it to have it registered. Please, no second chance for this guy!!
Tru2Blu76
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 5:19 p.m.
By now, AnnArbor.com should have fully realized the significance of serving "local news stories" to Ann Arbor readers. - That includes knowing that we are above average when it comes to literacy! Reporters here should also be above average when it comes to literacy! But - as with this LATEST example - (" Deputies also searched the car and said they found a loaded handgun on the floor of the rear passenger seat, the affidavit says.") - we see that's not true. Just FYI: the proper Standard English sentence should be: " Deputies also searched the car and said they found a loaded handgun UNDER the rear passenger seat, the affidavit says." When are you guys going to start writing in Standard English?-! OR - if quoting some other person's writing - at least provide the proper English language equivalent. There's no getting away from this responsibility. Most people read "mostly" news stories so that means news stories should enforce the use of proper (literate) English standards. It shouldn't need pointing out that written and spoken communication affects THINKING. With such poor editing - the other way of saying this is: Your writing AFFLICTS thinking! Next we'll be reading about "a cache of bullets was found..." - instead of "a cache of ammunition was found..." If THAT happens, readers are going to "come back there" to AnnArbor.com with our picket signs and bullhorns. Don't make us "come back there." ;-)
Tru2Blu76
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 : 6:50 a.m.
@Red Barber: used to be, the answer to your question was: EVERY TIME. There's nothing in the article to indicate that there was no "under" to the rear seats in the car Pickering was driving.
Davidian
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 8:50 p.m.
I got the point of the article. Considering that I didn't pay a penny to read it, I can't complain.
Red Barber
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 6:56 p.m.
When sitting in the REAR passenger seat of a car, how often do you find that you can reach UNDER the seat?
nickcarraweigh
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 5:04 p.m.
Wonder what he was doing that caused them to call in the plate number, and how did the feds get involved?
dading dont delete me bro
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 4:59 p.m.
hmmmmm........... ???????? <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/michigan-license-plate-stolen-from-car-in-wcc-parking-lot-replaced-with-ohio-plate/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/michigan-license-plate-stolen-from-car-in-wcc-parking-lot-replaced-with-ohio-plate/</a>
Major
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 4:44 p.m.
The age old problem with gun laws...they never seem to prosecute fully and is why they shouldn't make anymore. Enforce the one's that are on the books. This will, if he's guilty, no doubt be plead down to some other, lesser crime. The pot...who cares...probably a good thing vs crack or alcohol, mellowed the dude out...the gun in possession by a felon, that's the issue here. These laws need to be enforced to the fullest extent!!!
stevek
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 4:32 p.m.
This doesn't make any sense. Didn't people say pot is harmless? Maybe the pot was for his personal use, the digital scale was to measure his caloric intake because of his diet, the stolen license plate was just a "misunderstanding", his past warrants were caused because his place of employment needed him for his critical skills, but the gun was his. The past criminal convictions were just an honest mistake. Sounds like we need to give him another chance.
shutthefrtdoor
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 4:26 p.m.
Good job Deputies! 1 down...100,000 more to go!
Dog Guy
Mon, Feb 20, 2012 : 3:25 p.m.
If Pickering was also texting, he is in big trouble.