A felon nabbed with a loaded gun claimed he purchased it at a garage sale.
Michael David James, 63, of Wildwood, was driving a blue Mitsubishi four-door at 2:40 a.m. Friday on U.S. 301 when he was pulled over for an expired tag. During a traffic stop, James appeared to be reaching under his seat, so the officer called for backup.
A K-9 unit arrived on the scene and the dog alerted on the driver’s side door.
A black Taurus G2 9mm handgun with 11 9mm rounds in the magazine was found tucked under the driver’s seat.
“The handgun was not securely encased and was readily accessible under the driver’s seat where James was seated,” the officer wrote in the report.
A criminal history check revealed that James had been convicted in 1978 of false imprisonment and in 1983 of transportation/sale of narcotics.
James claimed he had purchased the gun several months ago at a garage sale in Bushnell. He admitted that as a convicted felon, he knew he could not be in possession of a firearm.
He was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released on $2,500 bond.
