MURFREESBORO – A 16-year-old was arrested here July 12 on gun and drug charges.

Antonio Stephenson was charged by Murfreesboro Police Sgt. Joe Crisp with felony possession of a stolen handgun, misdemeanor possession of a firearm by a minor and possession with intent to sale and deliver marijuana.

Stephenson was taken to the Hertford County Jail under a $9,000 secured bond.

The arrest was made shortly before 5 p.m. after Murfreesboro Police officers stopped a moped operated by Stephenson on Main Street. The traffic stop was made as MPD officers had knowledge that a moped, matching the description of the one operated by Stephenson, had been reported stolen.

“The officers searched Stephenson, finding an amount of US currency and five plastic bags containing what we believe to be marijuana,” Murfreesboro Police Chief Darrell Rowe said.

Rowe added that upon discovering these items, the officers placed Stephenson in custody and then conducted a search of the moped. That search turned-up a .25 caliber automatic handgun located in a storage compartment of the vehicle. Upon further investigation, it was learned that the handgun was listed as stolen from a Conway citizen.

“The suspect advised my officers that the money found on his person was his, but he didn’t know anything about the marijuana,” Rowe said. “He said he found the handgun lying on the ground at one of the trailer parks here in town.”

Other MPD officers involved in the case were Lt. Joe Burgess, Sgt. Jamie Dilday and Officer Adam Benton.

“I commend these officers for making this traffic stop where they were able to take a stolen handgun and marijuana off the street,” Rowe said. “I also need to note that even a simple traffic stop can take a deadly turn when there is a weapon involved.”