NEW ROCHELLE, NY (April 28, 2025) — A routine traffic stop in New Rochelle led to the arrest of a Connecticut man on felony firearm charges after police discovered a concealed handgun and high-capacity magazine in his vehicle, authorities said.
On April 26, 2025, at approximately 2:25 a.m., New Rochelle Police Department officers stopped a vehicle at the intersection of Memorial Highway and Burling Lane due to an invalid registration caused by lack of insurance. The vehicle was impounded, and during a standard inventory search, officers found a Ruger handgun hidden under the passenger floor mat and a large-capacity magazine with 21 rounds of 5.7 caliber ammunition, capable of penetrating body armor, in the glove compartment.
The passenger, Kevin Beckford, 26, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, admitted ownership of the handgun and magazine, claiming he holds a valid pistol license in Connecticut. The driver, a 23-year-old Bridgeport man, denied knowledge of the firearm, received a summons, and was released. Beckford was arrested without incident and held pending arraignment on April 26, 2025.
Beckford faces charges under New York State Penal Law, including Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree for the ammunition feeding device, a Class D felony.
“The New Rochelle Police Department remains committed to ensuring public safety and removing illegal firearms from our streets,” the department said in a statement.
Authorities urged anyone with information about the incident to contact them at (914) 654-2300 or anonymously at (914) 632-COPS.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
