WBRZ - Baton Rouge

CLINTON – State Police seized four assault rifles and a high-caliber pistol during a traffic stop in East Feliciana Parish this weekend.

Troopers arrested the driver, 33-year-old James Behrnes, who investigators say is also a felon.

The troopers were on patrol when they saw Behrnes speeding on LA 63 east of LA 959. After stopping him the troopers found out Behrnes was convicted in a previous drug investigation and had weapons in his truck.

After searching the vehicle troopers found three AK-47 assault rifles, an AR-15 assault rifle, a .45 caliber Beretta pistol and more than 500 rounds of ammunition.

"A convicted felon in possession of these powerful weapons is a recipe for disaster," said Colonel Mike Edmonson, State Police Superintendent.

Troopers booked Behrnes into the East Feliciana Parish jail in suspicion of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, speeding and driving a vehicle with expired inspection.

Edmonson said workers at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab will test-fire the weapons and enter them into a nationwide ballistics database, in case they had been used in other crimes.