CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A routine traffic stop in Clermont County led to multiple felony charges after deputies say they found a loaded firearm and drug paraphernalia inside a vehicle.
According to court documents, a deputy with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle along State Route 125 near State Route 132 in Batavia Township on Tuesday after the driver allegedly failed to signal.
Investigators say drug paraphernalia was visible inside the vehicle, prompting a search.
Court records show a single 9mm round was found on the driver’s seat. The driver, identified as Lawrence Mullis Jr., initially told deputies he did not have a firearm, but later admitted there was one in a backpack in the rear of the vehicle.
Deputies say they recovered a loaded 9mm handgun with six rounds in the magazine, along with a burnt glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine.
According to investigators, Mullis has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
He is now facing multiple charges, including having weapons while under disability, carrying a concealed weapon, and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.
A bond hearing is scheduled for today.
