By Pat Culverhouse

Enforcing the speed limit on Interstate 20 turned into more than just a traffic stop for a Minden police officer enforcing the department’s Safety Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).

Chief of Police Jared McIver said Officer Hunter Buchanan’s stop around 1 a.m. Friday has resulted in the arrest of a Minden man on a charge of possession of a machine gun. 

Jacoby Rankin, 19, a Kennedy Lane resident, is currently being held for possession of machine gun after he reportedly was found in possession of a Glock 23-C that had been fitted with a switch that converted the handgun into a fully automatic weapon.

After initiating the traffic stop, Officer Buchanan reportedly noticed the odor of marijuana inside the vehicle. During a pat down of the driver (Rankin), the officer reportedly retrieved a baggie of marijuana.

Lt. Kenny James responded to the stop and, during a probable cause search of the vehicle, found the modified Glock handgun and an Anderson Mfg. Model AM-15 which reportedly belonged to a passenger in the vehicle.

Officers also found an extended magazine for the Glock.

During questioning, officers reportedly determined the weapon belonging to the passenger was legal, and no charge has been filed. An investigation is continuing.

  This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.