18-year-old pleads not guilty to gun, drug charges

Published 10:14 am Friday, May 13, 2016

An 18-year-old arrested for possessing drugs and a weapon without a permit pleaded not guilty to six different charges.

Gumdel Nyare Gilo, 18

Gumdel Nyare Gilo, 18

Gumdel Nyare Gilo, 18, of Austin appeared in Mower County court Thursday on six charges: being violent felon in possession of a firearm and fifth-degree drug possession; a gross misdemeanor for carrying a pistol without a permit; two misdemeanors: possessing over 1.4 grams of marijuana in a motor vehicle and underage drinking and driving; and a petty misdemeanor for speeding at 42 mph in a 30 mph zone.

At about 10:01 p.m. on April 26, Austin Police Officers were on routine patrol in the 2100 block of Fourth Avenue Southeast when they saw a 2011 Buick LaCrosse turn west on Fourth Avenue Southeast from 19th Street Southeast, according to court records.

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Gilo, the driver of the Buick, accelerated to 42 mph and police officers initiated a traffic stop in the 1500 block of First Avenue Southeast.

Gilo told officers he was “in a hurry” to deliver a fruit drink to his girlfriend. Officers smelled marijuana coming from inside the Buick. K-9 Sonic was called to the scene and alerted to the presence of narcotics.

Officers searched the Buick and found a small bag of marijuana on the driver’s side floor, three bags containing 5.5 grams of marijuana and a bag of Alprazolam pills in the center console. They also found a 9-mm pistol.

They also detected alcohol coming from Gilo and did a preliminary breath test, which Gilo failed.

Gilo was arrested and transported to Mower County Jail.

His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 16 for a pre-trial and Sept. 26 for a jury trial.