New details: Philadelphia man with prior convictions charged after guns, fake DEA badge found in car
FBI investigates man arrested after fake IDs, chemicals found in Philly home
Federal officials are now searching a property connected to suspect, 44-year-old Eugene Horsch, after authorities say a variety of chemicals was found in the basement of that home.
PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia man is facing federal charges after law enforcement say they found two loaded guns, drugs, and fake DEA credentials in his car during a traffic stop at Independence National Historical Park on June 19, according to an affidavit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Traffic stop leads to discovery of guns, drugs, and fake credentials
What we know:
Officer Paul Scholtz, a Federal Park Ranger, stopped a black BMW parked illegally at 6th and Market Streets and saw the driver, Eugene Albert Horsch, and a woman inside, both showing signs of drug use, according to the affidavit.
Police say Horsch was holding tweezers and had a butane lighter in plain view, items often linked to drug use. The woman provided a name that matched a missing person report out of Philadelphia, and both had visible sores, authorities said.
FBI investigating after man arrested with guns, fake IDs; chemicals found in Philadelphia home
Police say a man was arrested after officers found guns with altered serial numbers, drugs, and fake IDs last week - and a subsequent search of his home turned up a large amount of chemicals.
During the stop, officers say they found two loaded firearms under the driver’s seat—a Taurus semi-automatic pistol and a revolver with its serial number removed. They also recovered a switchblade knife, a glass drug pipe, crack cocaine, and a cattle prod, according to the affidavit.
Officers say they found a canvas bag in the trunk with a fake DEA badge and ID cards showing Horsch’s photo and the name "Eugene Fredrick Steiner." Police say Horsch has never worked for the DEA.
Horsch reportedly told officers, "they’re not hers; she’s a good girl," referring to the firearms, and admitted to having crack cocaine in the car. He also confirmed he was a felon, according to the affidavit.
The backstory:
Horsch has three prior convictions in Pennsylvania for crimes punishable by more than one year in prison, including drug offenses and aggravated assault, according to the affidavit.
Authorities say both firearms were manufactured outside Pennsylvania and were operable when tested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on June 26.
Federal law prohibits Horsch from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his criminal record, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states that the woman in the car was reported missing, but does not provide further details about her status after the stop.
What we don't know:
The affidavit does not state whether the woman was charged or what happened to her after being detained. It is unclear how or why Horsch obtained the fake DEA credentials. The document does not mention if additional charges will be filed related to the drugs or impersonation.
The Source: Information from an affidavit filed by Special Agent Curtis A. McRoy, Drug Enforcement Administration, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.