Report: Emoni Bates Charged With Two Felonies for Gun Possession Found During Traffic Stop

Remember to always check the car you’re driving.

Emoni Bates was arrested after he was pulled over while driving on Sunday night. The once former top recruit is being charged with two felonies related to gun possession. Bates was pulled over in Superior Township, Mich. on Sunday night after allegedly failing to stop at an intersection. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said officers discovered a firearm in the car.

Bates was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and for altering ID marks on a firearm. Both are felonies.

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BREAKING: EMU basketball player Emoni Bates has been charged with 2 firearm felonies. pic.twitter.com/EXBj42L2zQ

— Brett Kast WXYZ (@brettkast) September 19, 2022

Bates was arraigned on Monday and pleaded not guilty. The Eastern Michigan standout is due in court on Oct. 6.

Bates’ attorney says the forward was borrowing someone else’s car.

“There’s way more to the story. He borrowed someone’s car, was pulled over and a gun was located in the car,” the attorney said.

Spoke to Steve Haney, lawyer for Emoni Bates. He told ESPN that Bates arrest last night came after a routine traffic stop when he was driving a borrowed car that had a gun in.

Bates was the No. 1-rated recruit in the 2022 before moving to the 2021 class, where he still remained a top-five recruit.  Bates had a mediorce season at Memphis last year under Head Coach Penny Hardaway and left the program during the season. The Michigan native announced in June that he was transferring to Eastern Michigan.

This can’t help his draft stock.

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