One of four guns that were reported stolen from a home on Hess Avenue in Hellertown on May 22 was found by Easton police during a June 14 raid on a home during an investigation into a suspected Bloods (street gang) heroin-dealing network, Lehigh Valley Live and other media outlets reported Wednesday.
According to the Lehigh Valley Live story, the stolen Rossi 357 Magnum was found in the hands of a convicted felon, Tajhan Knox, some time after the Hess Avenue resident whose guns were stolen reported to police that her then-boyfriend–identified as 31-year-old Daniel Floyd Matlock Jr., no address provided in court records–was a drug addict who had previously stolen guns from her.
WFMZ-TV Channel 69 News reported that Matlock is now facing more than a dozen charges related to his alleged theft of the Rossi and three other weapons from the Hellertown woman and her son, including a loaded Bersa Thunder 40, a loaded Keltec P-3AT and a loaded Raven Arms MP-25, as well as two cell phone chargers, several knives, papers and a body piercing kit.
Daniel Floyd Matlock Jr.
In a May 11 public post on his Facebook page, Matlock said he would be piercing in Easton and Phillipsburg “again this weekend.”
In a later post, dated May 24, he said “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I’d like to apologize 4 post put out there by an ex of mine. Apparently she’s upset about our breakup and use my past history to concoct some type of crazy accusations and is proceeding to ruin what little reputation I have left for her benefit…”
Matlock was arrested by police May 26 on a warrant for a parole violation that stemmed from an unrelated firearm theft, the WFMZ story indicated.
After being arraigned before District Judge David W. Tidd Wednesday Matlock was committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $30,000 straight bail, according to court records, which list the Hellertown charges he is facing as follows:
- Felony 2 – Possession Of Firearm Prohibited (4 counts)
- Felony 2 – Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property (4 counts)
- Felony 2 – Receiving Stolen Property (4 counts)
- Felony 3 – Firearms Not To Be Carried Without a License (4 counts)
- Misdemeanor 1 – Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property (1 count)
- Misdemeanor 1 – Receiving Stolen Property (1 count)
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 13 before Tidd.
