NORWICH – A Norwich man was arrested late last month after law enforcement discovered a loaded rifle along with suspected meth and heroin in his vehicle.

According to New York State Police Trooper Aga Dembinska, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on February 28, troopers charged Aaron J. Johnson Jr., 24, of Norwich with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and driving while ability impaired by drugs, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, and four counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

“Troopers initiated a traffic stop after observing a vehicle on State Highway 7 in the town of Unadilla, failing to maintain a lane,” said Dembinska. “When a trooper began interviewing Johnson, he observed a rifle in the passenger seat, troopers later learned that it was also loaded.”