Traffic Stop Uncovers Arsenal Of Weapons And Cash; Men Headed To An Escambia Middle School

April 26, 2012

A traffic stop at the Alabama/Florida line Wednesday afternoon turned up an arsenal of a weapons and thousands of dollars in cash with two men that said they were simply tutors headed to a Pensacola middle school.

An officer with the Flomaton Police Department conducted a routine traffic stop about 5 p.m. after observing the driver of a 2012 Chevrolet Suburban make an improper lane change on Highway 29. He stopped the vehicle just over the  bridge between Flomaton and Century, still inside Alabama but only a few yards from Florida.

For more photos from the traffic stop, click here.

Update:  The vehicle in this story was stopped again Thursday morning on New Warrington Road in Pensacola. Click here for the update.

After finding several guns in the vehicle, the Flomaton officer immediately called for backup from the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office.

A search of the vehicle by the Flomaton Police Department uncovered multiple handguns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, multiple ammunition clips, tasers, handcuffs, brass knuckles and “suspicious” solid black clothing and hoodies. Officers also located a paper bag containing $8,400 in $100 bills  inside the vehicle.

The vehicle was also searched for drugs by an Escambia County (Fla.) K-9, but no illegal drugs were located.

The driver and passenger, both adult males, said they were on their way from the Birmingham area to tutor students Thursday at Warrington Middle School. One of the men was dressed in a t-shirt with a tutoring company’s logo on the front and the words “Free Tutoring” on the back. They produced business cards and other items from a tutoring company in New Jersey.

The men said they had the arsenal of weapons for their own protection because they sometimes tutor students in “bad areas”.

Officers spent about two hours searching the vehicle, questioning the men as they stood handcuffed by a police car and running various computer records checks on the vehicle, the firearms and the men.  All of the weapons were legally possessed, according to officers.

Both men were released without any criminal charges or traffic citations. Their names were not released since they were not charged with any crime.

Officers said all school resource officers in the Escambia County, Florida, area would be alerted to the situation prior to the start of school on Thursday as a precaution.

Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said security would be stepped up today. For his reaction and more about the tutoring company, click here.

For more photos from the traffic stop, click here.

Pictured top: Guns, ammunition and $8,400 in cash discovered during a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon on the Alabama/Florida state line. Pictured bottom inset: Officers from Alabama and Florida took part in a two-hour investigation. Pictured below: The driver and passenger were questioned. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Editor’s note: The identity of the driver and passenger has been obscured in these photographs because they released without being charged with any crime.

Comments

71 Responses to “Traffic Stop Uncovers Arsenal Of Weapons And Cash; Men Headed To An Escambia Middle School”

  1. sam on April 27th, 2012 11:29 am

    good job flomaton pd. you guys been getting a lot of heat lately. nice to see you keeping your heads down and doing your job. thanks.

  2. hmmm on April 27th, 2012 10:56 am

    Since everyone has an opinion, I’ll chime in as well. From the guns & cash, I would say the tutoring thing is a perfect cover for gun deals or maybe drugs, but most likely, selling guns to criminals. Or possibly, has anyone heard that we are nearing the 1 yr marker for Bin Laden’s death & the terrorist threat level is elevated. Were these guys checked out for any connections with the Taliban? This whole country has gone gun crazy, all these children & that girl Summer getting shot at a fishing camp. There needs to be some kind of gun control in this country. I read that almost 70% of the guns conviscated in Mexico were from the US. The 2nd Ammendment was written in an age when you had to pack powder in a gun before you could shoot it. I’m certain our founding fathers didn’t envision a country with young gang members running around with AK 47’s & Oosies (sp).. It’s a shame how violent our country has become, it’s like everyone is just itching for a shoot out like in the wild west days. But I’m wasting my time with this because I know the NRA has the politicians bought & paid for..You would think that after awhile we could learn to live like civilized people without resorting to boasting @ toting heat everywhere they went. I don’t know what the answers are but something needs to start happening. Sure, if you hunt a shotgun is reasonable but we all know people have alot more than that. And the chances of a child or innocent bystanders being killed grow increasingly high. In the heat of a moment, it’s much easier to shoot someone than to walk away until things cool down. Didn’t someone kill another person over a football game? I believe stricter gun controls are needed in America before another Columbine or Virginia Tech tragedy can happen again.

  3. wyatt on April 27th, 2012 9:29 am

    you poeple are idiots if you had a kid and these two men were headed for their school wouldn’t you be outraged two? if i had a kid and i herd about this i would be terrified for the other kid and including mine at that school so why dont yall just shut up becuase theirs no escuse for this.

  4. William on April 27th, 2012 8:41 am

    >>>they claim to be representatives of a tutoring service based in New Jersey, correct? Ummmmm, do they carry their firearms with them, readily accessible, IN NJ?

    Just because they work for a New Jersey company, it does not mean they have ever set foot in NJ. At least one of them is based out of the Birmingham area.

  5. Diamond Mair on April 27th, 2012 8:29 am

    I’m just wondering …………………………… they claim to be representatives of a tutoring service based in New Jersey, correct? Ummmmm, do they carry their firearms with them, readily accessible, IN NJ? In re: http://www.ehow.com/how_2064612_get-permit-carry-concealed-weapon.html Check out point #2 ……………………………

    Semper Fi’
    DM
    {Former resident of Pennsylvania, regular visitor to NJ}

  6. Bo on April 27th, 2012 6:25 am

    Good job LE! Somehow I don’t think these fellows were headed to the range. And whadda surprise, they had hoodies too!

  7. Willis on April 27th, 2012 12:28 am

    @Lawman

    What makes you say these guys were moving guns? 4 guns is an arsenal by definition.

    I am not defending these guys, I just do not agree with the article.

  8. megan on April 26th, 2012 11:04 pm

    These men were pulled over again today a mile from warrington middle school! I have a child in a Pensacola school near warrington middle school! Im all for the police keeping the children safe! Somethings wrong with someone who feels its ok to bring weapons to a school!

  9. lawman on April 26th, 2012 9:01 pm

    @joe Kelly, where in your vast knowledge did you get that idea. Good on the S.O for calling them, these guys were dirty and in my opinion, they were moving guns( Of which bad guys do that, and they honored to code.

  10. Pam on April 26th, 2012 6:11 pm

    @ Buddy – my thoughts exactly

  11. Joe Kelly on April 26th, 2012 5:21 pm

    The only reason the ATF should have been called is if the police attempted to steal the firearms.

  12. Foreigner on April 26th, 2012 5:02 pm

    I don’t see the big deal, I’m armed every time I leave my abode. I have a carry in my pocket, a glock 21 and a taurus millenium pro 45 in the vehicle, all perfectly legal. Believe me, there are a lot more people armed then you know of. From old grannies to college students.

  13. baebae on April 26th, 2012 5:01 pm

    I think they checked them out just like they were supposed to….just dont think it made a good story…why even tell it …sensationalize it I guess…good going Flomaton Police…bet they never forget it…bet they got TUTORED themselves on this trip…dont TUTOR around in Alabama….$8400…IN CASH..thats is suspicious right there now…what kinda money does tutoring pay…heck I want me a job like that….going to pick up something maybe ? and in case it goes wrong ? the guns ? MMMMgotta think about these days…makes you wonder what goes by you each day dont it…
    bet they go around Flomaton next time

  14. kb on April 26th, 2012 4:58 pm

    they were prob going after zimmerman

  15. Dana Engle on April 26th, 2012 4:14 pm

    I agree something sounds wrong with this picture, but neither the weapons or the money are necessarily a violation of FL law (I can’t speak for AL Law). I am curious to see what they find but without probable cause they can not arrest. As far as a tracking device goes, Esc. FL may have gotten a warrant after the first stop in AL but we wont know unless there is a court case for some violation of the law.

    790.25Lawful ownership, possession, and use of firearms and other weapons.
    (5)POSSESSION IN PRIVATE CONVEYANCE.—Notwithstanding subsection (2), it is lawful and is not a violation of s. 790.01 for a person 18 years of age or older to possess a concealed firearm or other weapon for self-defense or other lawful purpose within the interior of a private conveyance, without a license, if the firearm or other weapon is securely encased or is otherwise not readily accessible for immediate use. Nothing herein contained prohibits the carrying of a legal firearm other than a handgun anywhere in a private conveyance when such firearm is being carried for a lawful use. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the carrying of a concealed firearm or other weapon on the person. This subsection shall be liberally construed in favor of the lawful use, ownership, and possession of firearms and other weapons, including lawful self-defense as provided in s. 776.012.

    According to the Official Florida AG Opinion securely encased can mean in a bag in the passenger seat, glove box or anywhere else that has a closing(not necessarily locking) device. To carry it on your person requires a license from FL or any state we recognize (most states).

  16. bigblock345 on April 26th, 2012 4:03 pm

    @ Boris Karloff— AMEN!

  17. Thank you on April 26th, 2012 4:01 pm

    I would like to thank the Flomaton officer that stopped these men. He was there a while without backup and it could have went very wrong. The lord was looking out for him.

  18. Thank you on April 26th, 2012 3:38 pm

    I thank god for cops like we have that stopped these men. This could have went really bad. This officer done his job not knowing if he was walking out of this alive. I have all the respect in the world for him. And these people that are criticizing need to stop. No one knows what these two men where up too. So how can you talk bad when u never know if this cop could have stopped something bad that was gonna go down. We just dont know. These men and women risk their lives for us and their family’s worry every day if they are coming home are not. They are the heros and I for one respect them 100%

  19. 357S@W on April 26th, 2012 3:29 pm

    These men have more guns than law enforcement carry! The ECSD did a good job. I would have been scared. Imagine what would have happened if they would have gotten out of their vehicle with the guns drawn? Our deputies are not armed for that.
    There is something sneaky about these men. How many state lines did they come accross? All the guns should be taken away, regardless of the circumstances. Our sheriff”s department did an excellent job and I don’t think anyone should judge them until you have been in their shoes!

  20. Boris Karloff on April 26th, 2012 2:29 pm

    #1 Why would they allow a search for a routine traffic stop. Know your rights.

    @ “357S@W” – Your lack of factual knowledge is painful.

    “I think a night in jail and the ATF doing an investigation would have made me sleep better.” – that’s not how it works in America.

    “The guns look like the one that shot the congresswoman Gabby Gifford.” – What does that mean? there are millions of black hand guns in America, they look the same to lay persons.

    “What would they need such a large clip for if it were just to protect themselves with?” – 1) its a magazine, not a clip. 2) If it is legal to own those guns and those mags, then there was no law broken. (I don’t know AL law, IANAL, I am also not making sweeping generalizations)

    “I believe the model shown holds 16 rounds.” – try 33

  21. me109g4 on April 26th, 2012 2:13 pm

    I like how the cops “posed” all the firearms on the seat,, i bet thats not how they found them but it does look more dramatic that way. I am also sorry to see that black hoodies are now suspicious, guess i will have to stop wearing mine. I am very pro LE but i am getting real fed up with seeing this kind of crap by cops.

  22. 357S@W on April 26th, 2012 2:06 pm

    Whats up? I think a night in jail and the ATF doing an investigation would have made me sleep better. Now we have to worry about what are they really up to. The guns look like the one that shot the congresswoman Gabby Gifford. What would they need such a large clip for if it were just to protect themselves with? I believe the model shown holds 16 rounds. It sounds to me that the ECSD needs to put these bad boys in jail until they find out what they are really here for.

  23. bamagal on April 26th, 2012 1:26 pm

    As the parent of two young children I wouldn’t want those guns on my child’s school grounds. Would you?

  24. a.b. on April 26th, 2012 1:10 pm

    What is the big deal…. they could be bounty hunters, undercover atf, undercover drug enforcement agents, FBI etc…. what about the men makes you so suspicious….i see hunters all the time driving around town with guns on their gun racks..

    why is everyone so gung ho about having these two men arrested… people lie all the time about where they are headed when they are pulled over by the cops to get out of tickets…CALM DOWN PEOPLE…

  25. Really scary on April 26th, 2012 1:08 pm

    There are so many ways this could have gone very wrong.

  26. EXMARINE on April 26th, 2012 12:50 pm

    I believe these guys are DEA or FBI, THink about everything that they are carrying-All standard law enforcement equipment. Plus the cash to purchase the illegal narcotics! And telling local police the truth would have compromised their cover, especially if we have corrupt deputies/policeman. Think about it! U see stadard and primary weapons for 2 people. Are the guns are legally owned and bought as well as ammunition. Every gun owner know that every particular gun leaves a distinct mark on the bullet rendering it traceable! And that weren’t given a ticket for the illegal lane change. Hmmmmm sounds to me like the are government agents and the media just happened to get there and blew their cover. also when DEA and FBI do sting ops, THey where all black!

  27. hmmm on April 26th, 2012 12:27 pm

    Just maybe they were under cover agents for the FBI…& then they had to abort the mission because their cover had been compromised.

  28. obviously on April 26th, 2012 11:23 am

    Obviously the tutoring they received paid off because they were let go.

  29. bigblock345 on April 26th, 2012 11:22 am

    I don’t see an arsenal, only 4 pistols for 2 men. primary and backup. Even if they’re caught doing something illegal later, what’s the justification for premeditated seizure of LEGALLY OWNED property now. After all, eveyone is capable illegal or immoral activity, even the self rightous on here. “Guilty until proven innocent”what a great country we have become!

  30. S.L.B on April 26th, 2012 11:16 am

    All criminals are not stupid! What’s to say these young men didn’t tutor themselves in the area of the law, what is legal and what is not? My instincts tell me that these men have a plan, and I suppose it’s just a matter of time before we all hear about it. I wonder where they are headed now? I don’t like this one bit!

  31. Patriot on April 26th, 2012 11:14 am

    I see Driving while Black is still a crime in Alabammie!

    Before any of you start calling me on this statement, explain why they were released without being cited ?

    Now ask yourself whit this is a News story? Nothing illegal happened except possibly the officer pulling them over

  32. BOGIAN on April 26th, 2012 10:53 am

    Thankfully, looking suspicious isn’t against the law.

  33. SBeck on April 26th, 2012 10:53 am

    “No person shall carry a pistol in any vehicle or concealed on or about his person, except on his land, in his own home or fixed place of business, without a license.” This is Alabama Law.
    I was stopped once in AL and informed of this but I am from Florida and was traveling through Alabama with my pistol was in my trunk, unloaded and in zippered case which was in a suitcase. They still told me it was illegal without a permit so I think these guys were at least checked out. Mr. Thomas of Escambia County schools said that the schools were NOT using a tutor company by that name or location and that they must have now someone from that school at some point and just pulled the name out. Still an odd situation but we have laws for a reason and if the men were checked out and cleared, at least there is record of the stop in case something later develops. Hopefully not.

  34. my-2-cents on April 26th, 2012 10:35 am

    @ 429SCJ – You may be right about all of that, but just remember. You can say NO just as fast as they ask – may I search…

    @ Wrongful Conviction – The last time I checked, guns DO NOT kill people…. People kill people WHILE USING a gun & it has nothing to do with the legality of a gun. What you said is like saying my computer just typed this post? DUH… I typed it using my computer. Does this make sence?

    @ ???? – Agreed

  35. Michele on April 26th, 2012 10:34 am

    This is scary. But the police had no reason to hold them. They are “legal”. We can only make assumptions because they didn’t tell the truth about tutoring at WMS. The comment about Flomaton keeping the guns and cash to pay for another case.. That statement was rather ridiculous. Let’s say you are a gun owner and you are transporting all you guns at once to …let’s say …your new home….and you are also in possession of a few thousand dollars at the same time. You make an illegal lane change and get pulled over. Should the cops have the right to take your possessions? Of course not! Same with this case….something may not sound right… There’s a very good chance they are up to no good, but so far they’ve done nothing illegal. I’m sure there has been contact with other county Sheriff departments. As said, they’re on the radar now.

  36. Ben Thar on April 26th, 2012 10:27 am

    I agree with 429SCJ. This looks like a setup to see if police in Alabama would violate the civil rights of African American youth. Because they did not, I doubt the results will be widely publicized.

  37. David Huie Green on April 26th, 2012 10:25 am

    REGARDING:
    “Who cares that the guns were legally owned!!!!!!! ”

    I care. I’m a very caring person.

    If laws aren’t broken, people shouldn’t be punished.

    I suspect these gentlemen of lying but that is just because I’m a suspicious type. As such, I suspect continued observation might be in order. Their names, vehicle type and tag are now known and fellow officers might keep an extra eye out just in case, but we shouldn’t rush to judgment.

    After all, maybe they’re thinking about opening a store in Pensacola and heard what is needed to operate successfully.

    David the suspicious carer

  38. Amy on April 26th, 2012 10:18 am

    Bizarre? Yes. Juicy media story? Yes. Alarming to public with facts given? Yes. But MY common sense says probably a federal undercover operation…….

  39. Escambia teacher on April 26th, 2012 10:11 am

    The guns and ammunition are not allowed on school campuses.

    As a teacher, I can tell you, we are not so desperate for tutors that we have to recruit some from New Jersey. Call the principal at Warrington and ask her if she requested tutors from New Jersey. Warrington Middle is right next to Pensacola NAS, and dozens and dozens of military personnel volunteer their hours to tutor in our schools.

    I do not think these two should be allowed to tutor our students with this type of arsenal in their vehicle. Teachers don’t come to school with weapons in their vehicle! It would be different if the guns were intended for hunting while they stayed in Pensacola. Handcuffs? Tasers? Brass knuckles? Are you serious???

    Protect our kids and send these two away !!!! Let’s be safe than sorry. They can go back and “tutor” in New Jersey.

  40. Albert on April 26th, 2012 10:06 am

    Thank you “NorthEscambia” for this article! Nothing in the PNJ what a joke!

  41. bob hudson on April 26th, 2012 9:56 am

    This just sounds strange.And I am sure that they were looked at very very closely.But I hope all law enforcement have been made aware of this stop. But I, would bet that this vehicile now has more red flags on it than the beach does on a bad rip current day.The guns are one thing, all legal, but the cash? Why is it I keep hearing the song (smugglers blues)?Good job by law enforcement, At least we are now aware of a potential problem.

  42. hawghead on April 26th, 2012 9:52 am

    Own weapons and carrying larger amounts of cash is not illegal….I’m sure the police checked everything out before letting them go…..I know it sounds fishy but I will have to believe that they were checked out throughly before being let go….

  43. Old Dad on April 26th, 2012 9:43 am

    Is that a Taurus Judge .45/410?

  44. 429SCJ on April 26th, 2012 9:42 am

    There is always the possibility that this was staged, with the hope that the civil rights
    of the two African American males would be violated. I find it interesting that everything was legal. This could have ended in a law suit.

    I remember years ago an officer would just pull you over, inform you of your violation
    write you a ticket and send you on your way. Today it seems like every traffic stop ends with may I search your vehicle?

    The occupants and Jersey plates aside, I wonder what brought about the search of the vehicle?

  45. reality on April 26th, 2012 9:36 am

    For everyone asking why did the officers let them go. What right did the officers have to hold them or their weapons. If they had nothing illegal or were not caught doing anything illegal then what right did the police have to confiscate the weapons. You people kill me and I bet some of you same people would be up in arms for an unlawful arrest or seizure. Do I think there was more to it than they were saying???? Yes but lying is not a crime either. Hopefully if they were up to no good they will think twice because they are now on the radar.

  46. jeeperman on April 26th, 2012 9:31 am

    So howcome they were not issued a ticket for the illegal lane change ?
    Or was that just a lame excuse to pull them over ?
    And what about the brass knuckles? I always thought those were illegal to have.

  47. BOGIAN on April 26th, 2012 9:15 am

    Those of us that are defending these men are only doing so because we realize that taking rights away from a few people undermines the rights of all people.

    It isn’t illegal to have guns.

    It isn’t illegal to have cash.

    It isn’t illegal to have a taser.

    It isn’t illegal to have handcuffs.

    It isn’t illegal to have dark clothes.

    What was it that they did wrong here? Well, it sounds like the driver wasn’t so great behind the wheel.

    The police did their job. They saw a traffic violation and made a stop. They conducted a search. They asked questions. They let them go. Why did they let them go? Because the only violation was an improper lane change, that is why.

    If you start locking people up on hunches, conjecture, and imagined wrongdoings, what kind of world would this be? Your neighbors could report you to the authorities because you might be up to no good, and you might just be hauled off to jail on the basis of some flimsy “evidence”.

    Lets say they wind up renting rooms at the extended stay hotel down the road from Warrington Middle. Perhaps you ought to head down there for a weekend and really get to know the area. If you had to hang around there very long, you might wish you were armed.

  48. wrongful conviction on April 26th, 2012 9:15 am

    If the weapons and men came back clear after the checks there is nothing theFlomaton PD can do, as for the cash nothing illegal there either. People need to remember the LEGAL guns are not the ones that are killing people…it’s the ILLEGAL guns that are in the hands of drug dealers, drug users and pieces of crap that are lazy and feel that its easier to rob and kill the honest working people than it is to earn an honest days pay. I also have to agree with Jane’s comment.

  49. Paul on April 26th, 2012 9:08 am

    BOGIAN

    Who cares that the guns were legally owned!!!!!!! Do you know how many crimes are committed with legally owned guns? Just as many as illegally owned guns. What kind of statement is that. It sounds like your defending these guys. I agree that we shouldn’t rush to judgement, but the good Lord gives you common sense. When you add everything up that these individuals had in their possession then it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out something is NOT RIGHT. Your average person does not ride around with multiple handguns with high capacity clips, a taser, HANDCUFFS (good grief, who owns handcuffs other than law enforcement?), and $8,400 in cash.

  50. a.b. on April 26th, 2012 9:07 am

    Great story william and clarification of the facts regarding drug dogs.

  51. Thankful Citizen on April 26th, 2012 9:03 am

    There are laws set for a reason and they have to be followed. The officers on scene look like they did follow the law. I”m sure if they would have found something that was illegal they would have arrested these two guys. If they had gun permits its legal for them to carry guns. It this case suspicious? ABSOLUTELY, but the officers have to follow the laws that are set forth by the state of Alabama and the state of Florida. Even though they thought the whole thing was suspicious they can’t just arrest folks without evidence to back up the law. Thanks ECSO and Flomaton for risking your life for all of us who want to sit in judgement of you everyday!!

  52. Ummm on April 26th, 2012 8:56 am

    This is absurd. The first thing that popped in my mind whiling reading this article was, “did the officers contact the school to verify their story?” Hmmm, it doesn’t seem so. Even though the schools were closed when this stop was made, I’m sure someone within the agency could have contacted a school official after hours to verify the statement. Of course, I’m not saying the officers didn’t verify that info ON THE SCENE, I’m just saying it doesn’t seem so. If they had, then they wouldn’t have been allowed to leave, because the latest article from North Escambia states that the superintendent made a comment this morning that he was not aware of the tutoring agency or the individuals. Hmmm, so OK, now we’ve got one lie they’ve told the officers. The whole story is strange. I mean this guy has gone far enough to actually walk around with a t-shirt and business cards for this so called tutoring agency. Maybe someone needs to notify the tutoring agency to see if he’s actually an employee. This whole story is crazy. I wish we had more details has to why they we’re released. I mean, did the officers verify on the scene with the school or the tutoring agency? I think if they would have, then we’d still be standing on the side of the road this morning questions these guys.

  53. William on April 26th, 2012 8:56 am

    Stacey wrote “I guess I am just wondering if they called in any drug dogs?”

    From the story—

    The vehicle was also searched for drugs by an Escambia County (Fla.) K-9, but no illegal drugs were located.

  54. illusns on April 26th, 2012 8:55 am

    Throw an AR-15 in there and it’s sound like a normal trip to Wal-Mart for me.

  55. Gerald lamb on April 26th, 2012 8:48 am

    And just what type of tutoring to middle school
    kids was going to take place. Dont look like NRA to me!

  56. Bizarre on April 26th, 2012 8:43 am

    I totally agree with “????”. I totally understand protection, but you must admit this was going a bit overboard. Something very fishy about that siutation.

  57. Carolyn Bramblett on April 26th, 2012 8:39 am

    The shocking thing–the only shocking thing about this story is that a cop pulled someone over for a bad lane change. Cops pulling people over for bad driving?

  58. Escambia Mom on April 26th, 2012 8:37 am

    Really? No, really? All of you on here trying to justify why these boys are carrying this multitude of suspicious items need to be given the same shock therapy that the police who let these guys go deserve. I dont care what bad neighborhood your in, what kind of situation calls for that kind of arsenal? Hundreds of rounds of ammo? Brass knuckles? Tasers? HAND CUFFS? Do I think these boys were headed to a school to take down a bunch of children? No. I think they probably just finished a deal or made a pretty clean break from a robbery. I really can’t believe that with such blatantly obvious signs pointing to CRIMINAL activity they just let them go. Not hey, let’s go down town and you guys can answer some more questions for us. At least stall and wait for some info to come in. Do a little bit more research. Not, okay, you have a tutor T-shirt on and your guns are legal. Welcome to Florida, have a nice day and remember to visit your local tourist shops!

  59. Duke of Wawbeek on April 26th, 2012 8:20 am

    Flomaton should have just confiscated the guns and money and told those two to keep moving. They could have used that $8400 to settle the Tedder case.

  60. stacey on April 26th, 2012 8:19 am

    I guess I am just wondering if they called in any drug dogs? I mean the border police that work the Mexican border sometimes wouldn’t find drugs if it wasn’t for the dogs. I sure don’t see the Flomaton PD being a big drug task force. Just curious….

  61. Very Concerned Grandparent on April 26th, 2012 8:19 am

    This concerns me GREATLY! I agree with deBugger “Tutors from New Jersey?” Pensacola is full of highly educated teachers/people. Why did Warrington Middle School have to reach to New Jersey to be able to find tutors???? Something does not seem right in this situation…..we need to be praying for our kids, teachers and principals today! May the Lord keep safe everyone in school….

  62. mom on April 26th, 2012 7:55 am

    Maybe they are telling the truth but please These are the signs that people are not paying attention to until they kill someone/or many school children. Are we going to have to have car searches at schools for anyone coming into the school area maybe it would be a good idea. I sure hope they were not alowed to tutor with that in their car scary.

  63. BOGIAN on April 26th, 2012 7:54 am

    The weapons were legally owned. They didn’t have guns on a school campus. Most likely, the weapons were going to be in their hotel rooms most of the time. Please do not suggest that mere possession of weapons by people who work in schools is the same as those people bringing those weapons into the school.

    Furthermore, the black clothing really shouldn’t come as a surprise. How many outfits did they have? Were there suitcases stuffed with these oh so suspicious black clothes? I suspect that if most folks packed for a trip that was to last longer than a week, we could go through your luggage and piece together an all black outfit. Is that suspicious? Not really. It is probably more likely than you think.

    As far as the cash is concerned, it doesn’t really seem like enough to justify a long distance trip for any kind of big time drug deal so there goes that theory. Hey, maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll spend all that money while they are in the area.

    It is good to be vigilant, but this looks like somebody was making a bit of a reach here.

  64. EJ on April 26th, 2012 7:44 am

    At least 3 Hi-Cap ((high capacity)) Magazines are shown and hundreds of rounds of ammo . More like recruiters than tutors on there way to Sanford.

  65. ???? on April 26th, 2012 7:05 am

    This is such a bizarre story. First of all, it’s illegal to be on a school campus with a weapon, which is where they say they were heading. That’s not counting they have multiple weapons. Secondly, who has multiple weapons, tons of ammunition, but then even more bizarre, HANDCUFFS, TASER, $8,400 in cash and black clothes, all because, “we go in some bad neighborhoods”. I have one handgun which I carry because now days you don’t have to be in a bad neighborhood for bad things to happen, but I don’t ride around with multiple weapons, handcuffs, tasers, black clothes and $8,400 in cash. This is just strange.

  66. 429SCJ on April 26th, 2012 6:41 am

    Avoid that Tri-City Metro.

  67. Jane on April 26th, 2012 6:40 am

    Before everyone decides these men were bad, we should consider that many people traveling these days carry weapons for self defense, though the number of weapons/ammunition seems excessive. However, I smell a rat in the woodpile. If it smells like a rat and looks like a rat, it probably is a rat.

  68. ellenb on April 26th, 2012 6:31 am

    Maybe I should become a tutor…….looks like there’s good money in tutoring. Personally, I don’t believe that’s what they are, more like drug dealers on their way to “tutor” the new recruits. The sad thing is, is that they had to let them go. Common sense, I believe, would dictate, to not go in bad areas if you need that many guns for protection. If someone wants and needs tutoring bad enough, make them come to you in a “good place”. They don’t have anyone fooled.

  69. David Huie Green on April 26th, 2012 5:38 am

    and yet, we suspect

  70. Buddy on April 26th, 2012 5:28 am

    ???… What are they tutoring students in? This is of grave concern to all parents and grandparents of children in local schools. This situation reeks of possible tragedy averted by an alert law enforcement officer. Please,please, keep close tab on these two. I am a supporter of the right to keep and bear arms by anybody who possesses them legally,but something stinks to high heaven about this deal.

  71. deBugger on April 26th, 2012 4:30 am

    Bizarre.

    “Tutors from New Jersey”. Coming a long way for work, armed to the teeth, yet no offense committed.

    Just what sort of students have these fellas got around here?