COLONIE — Three Virginia men face weapon charges after police allegedly found a loaded handgun in a 
vehicle after a traffic stop.
According to Lt. Robert Winn, the officers, James Splonskowski and Austin Blais, stopped a 2019 Hyundai Tuscon for improper use of a traffic signal on Central Avenue near Colonie Center on Friday, Nov. 20, at around 1:14 a.m.
They detected an odor of marijuana and during further investigation, allegedly found a loaded .40 handgun magazine with 11 rounds. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, the officers found a loaded .40 Smith and Wesson handgun loaded with 15 rounds.
The origin of the handgun is not known at this time but it was not reported stolen, Winn said. None of the three occupants had a New York state pistol permit and can’t possess a handgun in this state due to previous felony convictions.
Eliakim K. Cuffee, 20, George Cuffee, 28, and Datron Johnson, 25, all face two felonies of criminal possession of a weapon.
Johnson faces an additional count of criminal possession of a weapon and another felony of criminal possession of a forged instrument, a fraudulent Delaware driver’s license.
Eliakim Cuffee faces an additional count of unlawful possession of marijuana and the infraction of improper use of a traffic signal and his cousin, George Cuffee, faces an additional count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
All three were sent to the Albany County jail pending arraignment.
