One Germantown Traffic Stop Yields Three Guns

Clockwise from top left: Pinto, Becraft, Morrow and Lawson | MCPD

Four men — three from Montgomery County — face gun charges after a traffic stop Wednesday night, Montgomery County police said. One of the men faces charges in connection with shots fired into a Germantown home, police said.

The Germantown police district’s District Community Action Team (DCAT) have arrested and charged:

• Jordan Becraft, 20, of the 13300 block of Country Ridge Drive in Germantown.
• Joseph E. Pinto, 22, of the 900 block of Clopper Road in Gaithersburg.
• Damarco Morrow, 19, of the 1300 block of Missouri Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C.
• Lynden S. Lawson, 19, of the 13300 block of Waterside Circle in Germantown.

About 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, police received reports of shots fired into a home in the 13500 block of Demetrias Way.

The home was occupied but no one was hurt, police said. Witnesses told police that they saw someone shoot into the home and then ride off in a white Toyota Scion, police said.

Officers received a description of the vehicle.

About 11:15 p.m. that same evening, DCAT officers saw a white Scion parked at a gas station in the 19700 block of Germantown Road in Germantown, police said.

Officers in unmarked police vehicles began following the car as it left the gas station onto Germantown Road.

Near Century Boulevard and Town Commons Drive, an officer driving directly behind the Scion reported to other officers that a rear seat passenger was pointing a green laser through the rear windshield directly at him, police said.

DCAT officers in marked and unmarked police vehicles initiated a traffic stop on the Scion at Locbury Drive and Club Hill Drive in Germantown, police said.  During the traffic stop, police learned Becraft was the driver, Lawson was the front seat passenger, and Pinto and Morrow were rear-seat passengers.

Firearms seized by police | MCPD

Officers found a loaded, .45-caliber handgun lying on the Scion’s rear passenger floorboard area near where Morrow had been sitting, police said.

Officers also found a loaded, 9mm handgun that had been concealed in a tool bag in the rear center area of the vehicle, police said.

Officers noted that the 9mm handgun had a green laser sight and determined that the firearm had been pointed at the officer who had been following the Scion, police said.

Officers also found a .40-caliber handgun under the front passenger seat.

Becraft, Pinto, Morrow and Lawson were arrested and taken to the Germantown police district station.

Detectives determined Pinto was the suspect who had fired shots into the Demetrias Way home, police said.  This shooting remains under investigation.

Becraft, Pinto, Morrow and Lawson were taken to the Central Processing Unit. Morrow and Lawson were charged with firearm-related offenses because of the traffic stop in Germantown, police said.

Pinto was charged with firearm and assault-related offenses connected to the traffic stop and to the Demetrias Way, police said. Officers believe he pointed the laser sight through the rear window of the Scion, which prompted other assault-related charges.

Morrow and Lawson were both released after posting a $5,000 bond.  Becraft was released after posting a $10,000 bond. Pinto is currently being held without bail.

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