Christopher Curtis Hobbs

Courtesy of Washtenaw County Jail

A 35-year-old Ypsilanti man faces federal charges after police recovered a gun he allegedly pointed at his girlfriend and found drugs in his vehicle earlier this month, authorities said.

The state charges against Christopher Curtis Hobbs will be dropped and he will instead be arraigned on federal counts of felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to deliver marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to court records.

Hobbs was taken into custody Tuesday by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) at the 14A-1 District Court, where his preliminary hearing on state charges of carrying a concealed weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence, third offense, was scheduled.

The district court hearing was adjourned and records show Hobbs appeared in federal court for a detention hearing Wednesday.

Ypsilanti police Sgt. Thomas Eberts said Hobbs was arrested the night of May 12 after officers were called to a residence in the 10 block of North Normal Street for a domestic dispute involving a gun.

A 31-year-old woman called 911 around 11:20 p.m. and told dispatchers Hobbs threatened her with a gun, according to an affidavit signed by ATF Special Agent Scott Toth.

The woman called back a few minutes later saying Hobbs left and asked police not to respond. Eberts said Hobbs and the woman lived at the residence together, had been together for about a year and a half and had a child together.

Ypsilanti police continued to the residence where Hobbs was loading property into a purple sport utility vehicle parked in the driveway, according to the affidavit. He was detained and asked if he had pointed a gun at the woman, who fled from the residence in her bathrobe, court records indicate.

“Hobbs denied any firearm being involved and said that he was moving out of the house,” the affidavit states.

Hobbs also denied having a gun in the vehicle. Police, who smelled marijuana smoke as they approached the vehicle, asked for and obtained permission from Hobbs to search it, according to the affidavit.

A loaded 9mm Glock with nine rounds of ammunition was found in a large plastic storage container, along with digital scales, prescription medication bottles and six glass Mason jars containing 85 grams of marijuana, according to authorities.

A bag of clear plastic sandwich baggies, “which are frequently used to package narcotics for sale or distribution were also found in the container in Hobbs’ vehicle,” the affidavit states.

The woman told police Hobbs sold marijuana, according to court records.

Hobbs was placed under arrest and arraigned the next day on the state charges. Magistrate Thomas Truesdell set his bond at 10 percent of $5,000, or $500, which he posted a few days later and was released from jail, court records indicate.

A person’s criminal history is one factor when federal authorities decide to take on a case, as are variables such as having guns manufactured outside the state or country and drugs found at the same time, said Donald Dawkins, of the ATF’s Detroit office.

A check of Hobbs’ criminal history turned up at least two felony convictions, both in Washtenaw County: one for criminal sexual conduct in 2000 and the second for domestic violence, third offense, in 2001, according to the affidavit.

At a detention hearing Wednesday, a federal magistrate ruled Hobbs was to remain in custody until at least his next court date, which was not specified in court records, but will likely be his arraignment, which has to take place within 10 days.

This story has been corrected. Hobbs' first name is Christopher, not Charles.
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John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.