Stolen revolver suspect arrested in multi-county warrant sweep
Pittsburgh, PA – A man who evaded arrest after hiding a loaded revolver in a KFC bathroom earlier this year is now in custody, following a raid on a suspected drug house in the Carrick neighborhood, according to the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Kevin M. Kraus announced the arrest of 39-year-old Stephon Smith, who was originally charged in May with two firearm offenses and one count of receiving stolen property. The charges stem from a May incident when Pittsburgh Police officers spotted Smith in the parking lot of the KFC on Brownsville Road during a warrant patrol. Officers noticed the outline of a firearm in the pocket of his sweatpants.
Upon seeing the officers, Smith entered the KFC and spent less than a minute in the bathroom before reappearing. By the time officers searched the restroom and recovered a black and silver .357 revolver hidden under paper in the trash can, Smith had already left the building. A records check later confirmed that the weapon had been reported stolen.
After months on the run, Smith was tracked to a house on Westmont Avenue in Carrick that detectives identified as a suspected drug location. On Tuesday morning, sheriff’s deputies entered the residence and took Smith into custody without incident. Five other individuals found inside the home were also apprehended. Each had active bench warrants issued in Allegheny, Butler, or Washington counties.
All six suspects were transported to the Allegheny County Jail. Authorities have not released the names of the other individuals arrested or whether additional charges may follow from the raid.
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Key Points
- Stephon Smith was arrested Tuesday after being wanted for hiding a stolen firearm inside a KFC bathroom trash can in May.
- He was located during a raid on a suspected drug house in the Carrick neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
- Five other individuals with bench warrants were also taken into custody during the operation.