Laurel Man Arrested on Gun and Drug Charges After Traffic Stop

On October 9, 2025, at approximately 10:12 p.m., a trooper on patrol observed a Dodge Dakota with a registration violation on Georgetown Road near Sussex Highway. The trooper initiated a traffic stop, and the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of a Hardee's located at 30759 Sussex Highway.

The driver, identified as 36-year-old Jeremy Cooper of Laurel, was unable to provide current registration or insurance for the vehicle. During the interaction, troopers learned there was a sawed-off shotgun inside the truck. Cooper was then taken into custody without incident.

A subsequent search of the Dodge Dakota uncovered a sawed-off .410-gauge shotgun, various types of ammunition including .410-gauge, 12-gauge, 20-gauge, and rifle rounds, along with two .556 caliber magazines.

Troopers also found approximately 0.1 grams of suspected methamphetamine and related drug paraphernalia.

Cooper was transported to Troop 5 and charged with several crimes, including three felonies: Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon (Firearm), Possession of a Destructive Weapon (Sawed-Off Shotgun), and Possession of a Deadly Weapon by a Person Prohibited Who Also Possesses a Controlled Substance.

Additional charges included Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Failure to Have Required Insurance, Operation of an Unregistered Motor Vehicle, and Fictitious or Canceled Registration.

Following his arraignment by the Justice of the Peace Court 7, Cooper was released on a $10,100 unsecured bond.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.