Pittsburgh, PA (PPP)— A 26-year-old Pittsburgh man was arrested by the Pittsburgh Police Department and denied bail after being charged with several criminal offenses.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Magisterial District Court, officers conducted a traffic stop on a black 2018 Dodge Durango registered to Leonard Rushin-Felder after observing a firearm in plain sight on the driver’s side floorboard.

The officers detained Rushin-Felder, who was identified as the driver, and conducted a pat-down for weapons, which yielded negative results. Officers Sulkowski and Castanzo observed that the firearm was no longer in the location where they had initially seen it, and that the driver’s door panel and other paneling inside the Dodge appeared unnaturally loose and possibly tampered with, according to the complaint.

The Dodge Durango was towed for a search warrant, which was subsequently granted, according to the complaint.

The search yielded a black Glock 22.40 caliber firearm containing 16 rounds, burnt marijuana blunts, and a Pennsylvania photo ID for Leonard Rushin-Felder, according to the complaint.

A check on Rushin-Felder’s criminal history revealed he was adjudicated delinquent of aggravated assault, making him a person not allowed to possess a firearm. A federal probation violation warrant with extradition for Leonard Rushin-Felder out of Virginia was also discovered, according to the complaint.

Name: Leonard Rushin-Felder
Gender: Male
Age: 26

Agency: Pittsburgh Police Department

Court: Magisterial District Court 05-0-03
Docket Number: MJ-05003-CR-0001402-2023
Date Filed: March 12, 2023

Bail: Denied
Confinement: Allegheny County Jail
Confinement Reason: A danger to the community.

Criminal Charges

1. Firearms not to be carried without a license (Felony 3)
2. Persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms – fugitive (Misdemeanor 1)
3. Persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms – delinquent (Misdemeanor 1)
4. Tamper with/fabricate physical evidence (Misdemeanor 2)
5. Possession of marijuana (Misdemeanor)
6. Turning movements and required signals (Summary offense)

Affidavit of Probable Cause
On 03/12/2023 at approximately 0429 hrs, I Officer Smith (#4850) and Officer Castanzo (#4890) conducted a traffic stop on a black 2018 Dodge Durango PA registration ███████ registered to a Leonard Rushin-Felder.

Approximately an hour prior to the traffic stop, while on foot patrol of the area of Mcclure Avenue and Eckert Street near the Sapp night club, officers (myself, Officer Sulkowski), and Officer Castanzo) observed a black Dodge Durango parked in this area. Via the front windshield, Officer Sulkowski and Castanzo observed in plain sight a firearm on the driver’s floor board of the above Dodge Durango. The firearm was a black Glock firearm of unknown caliber. The vehicle was parked and unoccupied at that time along the curb along Eckert Street. Officer Castanzo was able to capture this firearm on his BWC in it’s current position from outside the vehicle. Officers then contacted INDEX and ran the license plate for registration. INDEX relayed to me the vehicle was registered to a Leonard Rushin-Felder and ███████. Index also relayed there was no firearm carry permit associated with Leonard Rushin-Felder: Additionally, NCIC produced a federal probation violation warrant with extradition for Leonard Rushin-Felder out of Virginia.

Myself, Officer Castanzo, Officer Sulkowski, and additional Zone 1 units positioned ourselves in the general area in preparation that the driver reoccupied the vehicle. I parked my vehicle on Lecky Avenue with an unobstructed view of the Dodge Durango and did not leave that location until a male eventually returned to his vehicle at approximately 0425 hrs, I observed two black males walking towards the Dodge and the driver’s door appeared to open. From this angle, I could not determine the identity of the driver, and could not confirm whether the second male entered the vehicle. However, there are only two individuals as registered owners of this vehicle and it was clearly not the female owner entering the vehicle.

At approximately 0427 hrs I observed the vehicle turn on and merge into a lane of traffic from the curb without utilizing a turn signal. The vehicle then traveled into the Mcclure Avenue/Eckert Street intersection. The vehicle then continued down McClure Avenue towards Beaver Avenue. I notified Officers Castanzo and Sulkowski (Unit 3113) of the vehicles direction of travel, the traffic violation witnessed, and that a black male, with similar characteristics as Leonard Rushin-Felder entered the vehicle. At this point, between the pedestrian traffic exiting the bar as well as an additional vehicle pulling out in front of my vehicle, Unit 3113 conducted the traffic stop at Beaver Avenue and Eckert Street.

Officer Castanzo made contact with the driver, and sole occupant, who was clearly identified as Leonard Rushin-Felder based on prior arrest photos and PA Driver’s License photo previously observed. Officers explained the reason for the traffic stop to Rushin-Felder and Officers asked him for his information. Officer Castanzo observed Rushin-Felder to be very nervous with a constantly shaking hand and shallow rapid rising/falling of his chest during breathing. Based on Officer’s knowledge of Rushin-Felder having an active federal warrant and the presence of a firearm on the driver’s side in Rushin-Felder’s immediate reach, he was asked to exit the vehicle. Rushin-Felder provided his driver’s license and complied with this order to exit the vehicle and was patted down for weapons at the rear of the vehicle with negative results. Rushin-Felder was then detained in handcuffs as Officers confirmed the outstanding warrant with INDEX. The warrant was confirmed and Rushin-Felder was placed in custody.

Based on the fact that there was unaccounted for firearm in the vehicle while Rushin-Felder is a person not to possess a firearm (having an active warrant for his arrest), officer Sulkowski began conducting a wingspan search of the driver’s side of the vehicle. While conducting this wingspan, Officer Sulkowski notified Officers that the firearm was no longer in the location previously seen. Additionally, he notified Officers that the drivers door panel and other manufacture paneling inside of the Dodge appeared unnaturally loose and possibly tampered with. Officers are aware that vehicles involved in criminal activity are often altered so that firearms, narcotics, and other contraband can be hidden inside natural voids or after market compartments. Officers Sulkowski and Castanzo, while working a narcotics/violence suppression detail the last 8 months in the Northside of Pittsburgh have encountered approximately seven vehicles with such hidden voids/compartments where firearms and narcotics were located. This Dodge Durango exhibited characteristics just as these.

Officer Castanzo mirandized Rushin-Felder and he affirmed that he drove the vehicle to the location where Officers witnessed it outside the club. He further stated that he had knowledge of the firearm in the vehicle Officers observed, but stated that it was no longer there. Officer Castanzo and Sulkowski transported Rushin-Felder to the ACJ according to PBP policy and he was accepted without incident on the confirmed warrant.

Officers believed that Rushin-Felder was aware of police presence in the area and manipulated the firearm previously seen in the vehicle, possibly hiding it in a void inside the vehicle.

Officers towed the vehicle to Zone 1 for a search warrant using McGann and Chester’s Tow service. The vehicle was towed from the scene to Zone 1 prior to receiving a search warrant because the vehicle was parked directly in a lane of traffic blocking the flow of traffic. This roadway was Beaver Avenue which is heavily utilized by vehicle traffic. The Dodge Durango remained inside a secured Zone 1 vehicle garage pending search warrant approval.

A search warrant was applied for and granted by Judge Brietic. Officers conducted a search of the aforementioned Dodge Durango at 0819 hours and recovered the following:

Exhibit 1: (1) one black Glock 22.40 caliber serial# BSRS744 containing 16 rounds recovered from the interior driver’s side door panel

Exhibit B: (2) two burnt marijuana blunts recovered from the center console cupholder

Exhibit C: (1) one PA photo ID for Rushin-Felder, Leonard

In addition, one mylar baggie containing a small amount of marijuana (exhibit A) was recovered search incident to arrest from Rushin-Felder’s person.

The firearm was ran through NCIC returning negative stolen. The owner was listed as Michael Livingston Jr. I will contact this individual and inquire about his ownership of the above firearm.

A copy of the signed search warrant and receipt was left inside the vehicle and subsequently towed to McGann & Chester.

A check on JNET of Rushin-Felder’s criminal history revealed he was adjudicated delinquent of aggravated assault on 09127/2010 at OTN: J-1880139-0, making him a person not to possess a firearm.

Based on the above evidence, I believe there is sufficient probable cause for the arrest of Leonard Rushin-Felder for associated charges.

The federal probation office contacted dispatch to advise me that PuRushin-Felder’s warrant could only be confirmed, and that a copy of the warrant would not be able to be faxed to the warrant office until the next day.

BWC activated and evidence packaged according to PBP Policy.