Extremely Nervous Trio Stopped On Route 17 Found With Loaded Handguns: Paramus PD

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A traffic stop in Paramus led to the arrest of three Paterson men after officers found two loaded handguns with high-capacity magazines, authorities said.

Around 2:26 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, Paramus Police Officer Michael Mordaga stopped a 2014 Ford Escape traveling south on Route 17 at a high rate of speed, Deputy Police Chief Frank Scott said in a release.

While approaching the vehicle, Mordaga saw two passengers not wearing seat belts. The driver, James Dixon, 20, was “visibly shaking while retrieving his motor vehicle documents and nervously stuttering in response to questions,” Scott said.

Passenger Tahlil Shivers, 21, “appeared overly nervous and breathing heavily,” and “provided false information multiple times as to his identity,” Scott said. Dixon refused a request to search the vehicle.

A K9 unit from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department responded, and dogs Sandy and Austin “alerted on the vehicle,” Scott said. Officers then searched the SUV and found “two loaded handguns with high-capacity magazines” — a Glock 17 Gen with a 17-round magazine and a Sig Sauer SP2022 with a weapon light and 12-round magazine, Scott said.

Dixon, Shivers, and Ta’John Edmonds, 20, were arrested and taken to Paramus Police Headquarters. All three were charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and possession of a high-capacity magazine, Scott said. Shivers was also charged with hindering apprehension.