Wild Traffic Stop Ends With Maryland Man Admitting To Illegal Guns

TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR, NY — A traffic stop in the Hudson Valley led to a wild chain of events that will see a Maryland man spend years behind bars.

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that 46-year-old Victor Aguilar-Perez, of Dundalk, Maryland, pleaded guilty on April 15, to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Under the plea agreement, the DA's Office will recommend that he be sentenced to seven years in prison to be followed by five years post-release supervision, when he is sentenced on June 17.

According to court documents, on June 23 of last year, around 9:15 p.m., Town of New Windsor Police Department officers stopped a vehicle that Aguilar-Perez was driving for traffic violations. Police soon discovered that neither Aguilar-Perez nor any of the other occupants in the car had a valid driver's license.

When the officers saw narcotics in plain view, Aguilar-Perez fled in the vehicle. After a brief pursuit, Aguilar-Perez parked the vehicle and he and other occupants fled on foot.

Police deployed a Taser and took Aguilar-Perez into custody. A search of the vehicle yielded cocaine and three loaded firearms. A DNA analysis later showed that DNA on two of the firearms was a match for Aguilar-Perez.

During plea proceedings, Aguilar-Perez admitted to illegally possessing a loaded firearm.

DA Hoovler thanked the Town of New Windsor Police Department for their investigation which led to the arrest of Aguilar-Perez.

"We will not tolerate the illegal possession of firearms by criminals in Orange County," Hoovler said. "Far too often we find illegally possessed handguns where we find illicit narcotics. While I fully support the right of law-abiding citizens to legally obtain and possess firearms, those who are found to illegally possess guns endanger us all and will face significant consequences in Orange County. I commend the work of the police in this case who interrupted the criminal acts of this defendant."