Traffic stop turns up knife

A Maricopa man was charged with misconduct involving weapons May 24 when Maricopa Police found a knife on him after he stated he did not have any weapons during a traffic stop.

On May 24, Dontai Sweat, 33, reported to family members that “he was being chased by the mafia,” according to a police probable cause statement. Prior to the arrival of the police, dispatch ran a wants-and-warrants check, finding he was wanted on a warrant out of Casa Grande with a $200 bond. He also had a suspended driver’s license.

When police arrived, they saw Sweat drive away from the scene and located him a short time later at the intersection of Van Loo and Kennedy Court in Rancho El Dorado.

He initially refused to exit the vehicle when directed by police, according to the report, and officers asked him if he had weapons. He said he did not.

After he consented to a search, police allegedly found “a fixed blade knife, approximately 4 inches in length, in his front left pants pocket.”

He was placed under arrest for misconduct involving weapons as well as the warrant out of Casa Grande. He was later booked into Pinal County Jail.