A Leesburg man was arrested after being stopped with a stolen firearm he hid under his seat.
A deputy stopped 22-year-old Aaron Corneleius Rafus and a female passenger at the intersection of County Road 44 and Rast Treasure Island Avenue in Leesburg on the morning of Sunday, July 5, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Rafus had passed over a solid white line into oncoming traffic using a blue 2023 Nissan Sentra.
As the deputy approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, he saw Rafus place a gray object under his seat. The deputy also saw a green leafy substance and multiple rolled blunts on the center console. Rafus stsated he was heading home as he handed over his license and registration, the report said.
A check of his information determined his license had been suspended since 2025. When told this, Rafus advised that he was not aware. He was then asked about what had been placed under the driver’s seat, which he initially claimed was only a can, the report said.
The deputy later asked Rafus to be honest, and he admitted there was a firearm under the driver’s seat. After retreiveing the gun, the deputy identified it as a Smith & Wesson SD40. A check of the serial number revealed it had been reported stolen, the report said.
Rafus was arrested on charge of possession of a stolen firearm. He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,500 bond.