K9 team makes drug and weapons arrest on I-40

Left: Yavapai Sheriff’s Office K-9 Deputy seize firearms, fully loaded drum magazines, likely tied to a criminal operation. Right: Deven Hamilton, 25, was in the vehicle that was carrying the firearms. (Photo/YCSO)

Originally Published: March 10, 2020 10:32 a.m.

ASH FORK, Ariz. — On March 4, around 8 a.m. a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) K9 deputy stopped a 2016 Kia Optima with a Texas plate for an equipment violation on I-40 near Ash Fork.

While speaking though the passenger window with the driver, 19-year-old Andrew Aldridge, the deputy detected the odor of marijuana from inside the vehicle. There were two passengers in the vehicle, Baily Byron, 18, and Deven Hamilton, 25. Everyone in the car was from Texas. All denied there were any firearms in the vehicle. After being confronted about the marijuana odor, one of passengers admitted there was marijuana in the vehicle.

While the three occupants were being detained, a K9 deputy searched the vehicle and found two rifles, both .223 caliber, that were in bags in the trunk. With the rifles were two fully loaded 60 round drum style magazines, a fully loaded 40 round magazine, a pair of latex gloves and a brass catcher. The K9 deputy also located a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol in the pocket behind the driver’s seat.

Information provided by Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office