Newburgh Traffic Stop Recovers Stolen Handgun; 70-Year-Old Arrested for Child Exploitation

A Newburgh City Police traffic stop for a vehicle code violation escalated into a foot pursuit during March 1–2, 2026, when two occupants fled and, according to a Mid‑Hudson News brief, "one of the youths reportedly discarded a loaded, stolen handgun before being apprehended by officers." The account does not provide names, ages, charges, or confirm whether the handgun was recovered and entered into evidence.

Newburgh City Police attempted the traffic stop inside city limits; officers chased two occupants on foot and took at least one youth into custody after the weapon was discarded, per the Mid‑Hudson News account. The report contains no information about the specific traffic violation that prompted the stop, whether both occupants were ultimately apprehended, or whether the matter will be handled in juvenile court.

Separately, New York State Police announced the arrest of Paul Merrill, 70, of Newburgh, after a CyberTip to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force prompted an investigation. "The tip came through coordination among ICAC, the Troop F Computer Crimes Unit, Troop F BCI, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, police said," according to the police account reproduced by regional outlets.

State Police say the CyberTip led to a search warrant executed at Merrill’s Newburgh residence in June 2024. Merrill was taken into custody following a traffic stop in New Windsor on Oct. 21, transported to the New York State Police Montgomery barracks for processing, and arraigned in City of Newburgh Court, where he was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in City of Newburgh Court at a later date.

Merrill faces a felony charge described in local reports as "Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child Less Than 16, Access to View, a Class E felony." Investigators told reporters that Merrill is accused of "possessing and accessing multiple images consistent with child sexual exploitation." The name of Merrill’s attorney was not immediately available, and police say the investigation remains ongoing.

Both incidents leave key questions unanswered in local public records: the Mid‑Hudson News brief does not establish whether the discarded handgun was recovered or how it was determined to be stolen, and the report on the youth contains no booking or charging information. For the Merrill case, news accounts reproduce State Police procedural steps but do not list a court docket number, the year tied to the Oct. 21 stop, or the specific conditions of his release beyond "own recognizance.