CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A traffic stop on Mechanic Street led to the arrest of a wanted suspect on Wednesday evening after police recovered loaded, high-capacity firearms—including an illegal, fully automatic hand-converted Glock pistol.
Kaidon Lytle was taken into custody without incident by the Chillicothe Police Department around 8:36 p.m. on August 19, 2026. Lytle was wanted on active felony warrants for Felonious Assault and Aggravated Menacing.
High-Risk Stop and Gun Recovery
According to police reports, Officer Jonathan Davis spotted a silver Ford with a duct-taped temporary license plate traveling toward Mechanic Street. Recognizing the vehicle as one linked to Lytle—and noting prior warnings that Lytle was likely armed and dangerous—officers initiated a high-risk traffic stop.
After the vehicle slowly rolled to a stop in front of 280 Mechanic St., officers issued verbal commands ordering the occupants to step out one by one with their hands visible. Lytle and a passenger, identified as 21-year-old Damarius Lett, complied and were detained.
During the initial detainment, officers spotted a 17-round Glock magazine protruding from Lett’s pocket. A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered:
- A gold/yellow Glock 19 9mm pistol sitting openly on the center console.
- A black American Tactical short-barreled AR-15 style pistol equipped with an un-loaded 60-round Magpul drum magazine on the passenger floorboard.
- A 31-round high-capacity Glock magazine sitting on the passenger seat where Lett was seated.
Lett claimed ownership of the weapons at the scene. Following a vehicle inventory, he was released pending further investigation, while the car was secured by a licensed driver.
Fully Automatic Firearm Confirmed in Range Testing
Following the arrest, officers inspected the recovered weapons and noted custom modifications to the 9mm Glock pistol, including a custom trigger and missing slide lock.
Officer Davis and Sgt. Christopher McGowan brought the seized firearms to the Dan Garrett Memorial Range for testing. During test-firing, Sgt. McGowan confirmed that the Glock had been modified to fire fully automatic burst rounds when holding down the trigger. The AR-15 style pistol was also test-fired and functioned properly.
Suspect Incarcerated
Lytle was transported to the Ross County Jail. In addition to being served his outstanding warrants for Felonious Assault and Aggravated Menacing, he was charged with Having Weapons While Under Disability.
Lytle is legally prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony juvenile adjudication for drug possession involving fentanyl.
Police stated that the investigation remains ongoing, with additional charges pending following follow-ups with Lett and further review of the modified automatic weapon.
