Loaded Illegal Gun Recovered, Georgia Man Arrested During Traffic Stop: Stamford Police

STAMFORD, CT — A veteran and rookie police officer teamed up to recover a loaded illegal gun and arrest a 41-year-old man during a traffic stop in Stamford on Dec. 21, according to police.

Curtis Yates, a Georgia resident, was arrested at approximately 4:25 p.m. Sunday and charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle; operating under suspension; criminal possession of a firearm; criminal possession of ammunition; illegal purchase of a firearm; and illegal possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, Assistant Stamford Police Chief Richard Conklin said.

Officer Ryan Doughan was riding on the West Side with probationary officer Derin Aguirre who graduated from the Stamford Police Academy just two weeks ago when the two ran a query on a gray Toyota Corolla in the National Crime Information Computer, Conklin said.

The vehicle came back as being unregistered since November 2023, according to Conklin, and the vehicle was pulled over at the corner of Madison Place and Fairfield Avenue.

"Further investigation revealed the driver Curtis Yates was driving with a suspended state of Georgia driver's license. At that point, he was asked to exit the vehicle and the young officer Aguirre patted him down and felt a firearm on his right hip," Conklin said, noting Yates indicated he did not have a pistol permit.

Yates, who was found to be a convicted felon, was carrying a loaded Ruger .380 semi-automatic pistol, Conklin said.

The vehicle was towed from the scene, and Yates was arrested and given a $250,000 bond.

"Collectively [the two officers] did a very good job on this investigation which resulted in a felony arrest and removing an illegal firearm from the street," Conklin added.