Hotel welfare check uncovers loaded gun and leads to arrest
Utica, NY — A welfare check for a missing juvenile at a local hotel quickly escalated into an arrest after officers discovered a loaded handgun in plain view inside the room.
Police were dispatched around 9:05 a.m. Thursday to the Red Roof Inn to locate the juvenile. When officers knocked on the door, a man answered and confirmed the juvenile was inside.
Upon entering the room to check on the juvenile’s condition, officers observed a loaded handgun on a bedside table. The man was immediately detained, and the juvenile was located inside the bathroom.
Both individuals were transported to the Utica Police Department as investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for the room. No additional evidence was recovered during the search.
Authorities identified the suspect as 20-year-old Joseph Navarro of Zephyrhills, Florida. He was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree for an extended magazine.
The juvenile was later reunited with family members.
Key Points
- Missing juvenile found safe in Utica hotel room
- Loaded handgun discovered on bedside table
- Florida man charged with firearm and weapon offenses
