Sniper suspect had gun in LV arrest

Thursday, April 29, 2004 | 9:40 a.m.

Ohio highway sniper suspect Charles McCoy Jr. had a 9 mm pistol and ammunition when he was arrested at a Budget Suites motel behind the Stardust on March 17, law enforcement officials said.

McCoy, who faces charges connected to 24 sniper shootings between May 2003 and February, was extradited to Columbus, Ohio, after being arrested in Las Vegas.

McCoy, 28, had been in Las Vegas about a day-and-a-half prior to being arrested by Metro Police and members of the Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team, a fugitive task force made of of Metro Police officers, FBI agents and other local law enforcement agencies.

It's not clear why McCoy had the gun and ammunition or if he planned to shoot drivers in Las Vegas.

McCoy was arrested about 2:45 a.m. at the Budget Suites motel on Industrial Road near the Stardust, less than 36 hours after Ohio authorities named him as a suspect in the attacks. An anonymous tipster and a Las Vegas resident who spotted McCoy's green Geo Metro with Ohio plates in the parking lot of Budget Suites helped lead to the capture.

About 11:30 p.m. on March 16 the Las Vegas resident, Conrad Malsom drove around the area near the Stardust looking for McCoy's car, and when he spotted it he called police. When Metro officers arrived McCoy had left the motel in his car.

About 20 Metro officers and members of the fugitive task force staked out the motel and were rewarded at 2:45 a.m. when McCoy returned.