Teen Arrested for Possession of Fully Automatic Rifle in Port Arthur

On Thursday, January 25th, the Port Arthur Police Department’s Narcotics and Guns Unit conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle lacking a front license plate. The vehicle, occupied by the driver and a single backseat passenger, raised suspicions when 17-year-old Taviontae Fontenot was removed from the car.

During the removal, law enforcement officers noticed a loaded rifle magazine on the floorboard beneath Fontenot’s seat. Following this discovery, a search warrant was obtained. Subsequent to the search, a short-barrel rifle was uncovered under a pile of clothing on the adjacent floorboard.

Investigation revealed that the rifle had been modified with an altered trigger mechanism, converting it into a fully automatic machine gun. Fontenot, who was the sole individual within reach of the weapon, was taken into custody. He now faces charges of Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, classified as a third-degree felony.