2015-12-09 Samora

Drug and Firearm Arrest – S. Ross Street Traffic Stop

Joseph Francis Samora, 25, and Javier Alejandro Jiminez, 27, both of Amarillo, were arrested on Tuesday night, December 8, 2015, after Amarillo police found several types of drugs and a semi-automatic pistol during a traffic stop on S. Ross Street.^[1]

Incident

According to APD, officers stopped a Dodge pickup in the 2000 block of S. Ross St. after observing a traffic violation. The vehicle was occupied by two males who were later identified as 25-year-old Joseph Francis Samora and 27-year-old Javier Alejandro Jiminez.

Two officers approached the pickup and, after getting the men's identification, they went back to their patrol car to check for outstanding warrants. Police said while the officers were in their patrol car, they heard a "loud crash of some type." One of the officers went back to the pickup to investigate but didn't find anything unusual.

APD said the passenger of the pickup, Jiminez, was found to have six outstanding municipal warrants, so the officers removed him, placed him in handcuffs, and secured him inside a patrol car. While officers were placing Jiminez in the patrol car, a witness told the officers they saw him throw a gun out the passenger side window. The gun hit a fence nearby.

An officer began talking to the driver, Samora, while the other officer searched for the weapon that was thrown from the vehicle. The officer found a .40 caliber pistol about 15 feet from where the truck was stopped.

Evidence Seized

When officers searched the vehicle, they found:

• A small plastic baggie with what appeared to be methamphetamine inside
• Digital scales
• Another plastic baggie containing marijuana
• A pill bottle with 14 Xanax pills inside
• Another pill bottle with 70 OxyContin 40 mg pills inside
• A .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol

All of those items, as well as the firearm, were booked into evidence.

Arrests and Charges

Samora was initially arrested for the traffic violation. After finding the drugs and firearm inside the vehicle, both Samora and Jiminez were charged with Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance more than 4 grams and less than 200 grams, in addition to the charges they were originally arrested for.

They were both booked into the Potter County Jail.

APD said Samora and Jimenez may both be given additional charges upon investigation.

Additional Details

The driver, 25-year-old Joseph Francis Samora, faced the same drug charge as well as a Class C misdemeanor for the traffic offense.

Jiminez, 27, had six outstanding municipal warrants at the time of the stop.

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