Traffic Stop Leads To Officer Finding 5 Loaded Guns In Car

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- What started as a routine traffic stop on East Baltimore turned into something much more significant when police saw what was in the man's vehicle.

It's putting a spotlight on some of Maryland's gun laws.

Amy Yensi has more on what police have gotten off the streets.

The city's top cop is now calling for stricter penalties after a repeat offender is caught red-handed.

Five loaded guns, rounds of armor-piercing ammunition and a bulletproof vest; Baltimore City police say they found the illegal stockpile inside Corey Rodgers' minivan Monday night on East Biddle Street.

"What are you going to do with that?" said Zakiya Shivers.

Rodgers has more than 20 prior arrests in Baltimore City. His latest was last December.

Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis says Rodgers--a prohibited gun offender--is a prime example of why he's supporting a set of bills that makes a second illegal gun conviction an automatic felony instead of what it is now--a misdemeanor.

"There's way too much discretion available to gun offenders now, and it results in gun offenders like Mr. Corey Rodgers being out again and again and again," Chief Davis said.

Commissioner Davis is calling on Maryland to follow suit with Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Those major cities have tougher penalties for gun crimes.

"If you've been arrested 20 times before that, I don't see how you're still on the street," said one man.

Gun arrests in Baltimore are up 67 percent in 2016 compared to the same time last year, but Commissioner Davis says without stricter penalties, many offenders are back out on the streets committing the same crimes in no time.

"If this has already happened, maybe you should kind of learn from it and not keep doing the same thing," said Stacey Powell.

"The punishment should be more severe due to the fact that we can't have people going around just carrying guns and being able to get away with this," said Laura Mugno. "I mean, it's lucky that he was caught, but what if he wasn't?"

Rodgers is now facing eight gun-related charges. It's still not clear what he was planning to do with all those weapons.

The legislation also calls for a one-year sentence without parole or possible suspension for someone convicted of illegal gun crimes.

The bills will go before the State House and Senate on March 9.