Unexpected Discovery During a Late-Night Patrol (Image Credits: Pixabay)
Harlem – A routine patrol in the bustling streets of upper Manhattan turned into a major bust when officers discovered illegal weapons and drugs inside a parked vehicle late Thursday evening.
Unexpected Discovery During a Late-Night Patrol
Officers from the New York Police Department approached a red 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander parked at the intersection of West 128th Street and Eighth Avenue around 9:10 p.m. The driver, later identified as 46-year-old Anthony Rivera from the Bronx, sat inside consuming alcohol. What began as a simple observation of public intoxication quickly escalated into a search that uncovered serious contraband.
Rivera, who had been idling in the SUV, drew the attention of patrolling cops due to the open consumption of booze in a high-traffic area. Authorities conducted a vehicle search following the initial contact, revealing a loaded SCCY CPX-2 pistol tucked away inside. Additional items included a pair of brass knuckles and a quantity of what police described as crack cocaine, prompting immediate charges against him.
A Troubled History Resurfaces
Rivera’s arrest carries added weight given his extensive criminal record. He served time in state prison for manslaughter related to a fatal 2007 stabbing of 30-year-old David Fuentes at a University Heights location in the Bronx. Released in 2018 after completing his sentence, Rivera had accumulated seven prior arrests, underscoring a pattern of repeated encounters with the law…