Steven Hoeppner had narcotics, weapons, ammunition and cash in his vehicle including a “ghost gun.”
Taneytown, MD – At 4:29pm on February 18th , the Taneytown Police Department was requested to do a welfare check on a subject passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle at the shopping center. The complainant advised the vehicle to be running, and the lights were on.
Once on scene, Officers located the described vehicle. Attempts were made to wake the individual inside the vehicle. Several minutes later, the driver woke up and rolled down the window. The male was identified by his driver’s license as Steven Hoeppner. While officers were speaking with Hoeppner, a clear glassine sandwich baggie was observed in the cup holder, in the center console. The baggie appeared to have a white powdery substance inside known to officers as cocaine.
While speaking with the officers, S. Hoeppner attempted to conceal the baggie. He was then removed from the vehicle and detained while a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted.
During the search, Officers observed multiple cylinder type containers, which had several different substances and pills. Three purple and one pink square pressed pills were found and are presumed to be MDMA (Schedule I). A bag was located that contained a white powdery substance known to officers as cocaine (Schedule II). A large pill bottle was found, which contained multiple white rock-like substances, which are presumed to be crack cocaine (Schedule II). Officers also located small glassine baggies, cash, and a scale which are known to be used in weighing narcotics to distribute and sell. There was additional drug paraphernalia, such as “crack pipes” recovered.
Continuing the search, a black Hanover Arms AR Pistol was discovered laying on the floorboard behind the center console. The AR had a magazine inside the magazine well. There was no ammo in the chamber, but the magazine had twenty .300 black out rifle rounds inside. Officers then located a case where a pistol was located inside. The pistol contained a loaded magazine, but a round was not chambered. A second pistol magazine was located next to the pistol loaded with 9mm ammo. Underneath the pistol and magazines was 9mm ammo in a case. Officers were unable to locate a serial number on the pistol, make or model. The handgun located does not meet the requirements to be a regulated firearm. This firearm is to be considered a “ghost gun” which are created to be untraceable and unregulated firearms.
Hoeppner and the two firearms were then run through MGUN which indicated that Hoppner was convicted of Robbery in 2010, Robbery in 2012, and a First-Degree Burglary in 2018 making him a felon not to possess a firearm(s).
All CDS weights were weighed, yielding approximately 20 grams of cocaine and 4 MDMA pills. Two firearms were recovered.
S. Hoeppner was subsequently arrested and charged with drug and firearm-related offenses.