7 years in prison in Saratoga guns case

ALBANY — A Haitian citizen who fled a traffic stop in Saratoga Springs — while his car was filled with guns and ammunition — will spend more than seven years in prison.

Emmanuel Philippe, 23, of Brooklyn, was sentenced Thursday to 87 months for having a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, having a firearm and ammunition as a felon, and possessing and intending to distribute crack cocaine, federal and city officials said. He was convicted after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court in Albany over the summer.

Philippe, a lawful permanent U.S. resident, will enter immigration proceedings after prison.

At 3 a.m. March 17, 2017, Philippe was stopped for speeding on West Avenue near the YMCA in Saratoga Springs. He gave officers a fake name and a fake Massachusetts driver’s license and said he was on his way to a Schenectady hotel.

An officer smelled marijuana, and Philippe admitted to having it in his car. A search found a plastic bag with a loaded rifle magazine and rounds of .223 caliber ammo. Philippe ran off but officers arrested him in the Y’s parking lot, and found he had 35 baggies of crack.

In the trunk, police found a semi-automatic rifle loaded with a 30-round magazine and its safety off, another loaded 30-round magazine, 165 rounds of .223 caliber ammo and 22 rounds of 9mm ammo. Also found were two digital scales and drug packaging materials.

At the time of the crimes, Philippe had a felony conviction for attempted grand larceny.