SYLVANIA, OH — An Army veteran and former Indiana special deputy is facing felony charges in Lucas County after being stopped by a sheriff’s deputy while transporting a recently purchased vehicle.
Vontae Garrett says he was driving back to Indiana when he was pulled over for what the deputy first claimed was a stolen vehicle, later alleging the license plates did not match. Garrett explained the plates belonged to the seller and that he was in the process of transferring registration and title into his name.
During the stop, Garrett disclosed to the deputy that he was carrying a firearm, consistent with his training and concealed carry status. Ohio is an open carry state and recognizes valid out-of-state concealed carry permits, including Garrett’s Indiana license. Still, he was charged with improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, a felony under Ohio Revised Code 2923.16.
Garrett’s attorney, State Representative Josh Williams, says the charge is unfounded. He points out that Ohio law explicitly exempts concealed carry license holders from restrictions on transporting loaded firearms in a vehicle. Williams cited the Ohio Attorney General’s own website, which affirms that the state honors all valid out-of-state CCW permits. (View our Concealed Carry Reciprocity Maps here.)
“How is it possible in the state of Ohio that you’re going to commit a crime if you don’t disclose, and if you do disclose, you’re going to commit a crime as well—even though you have a CCW?” Williams said, criticizing the prosecutor’s interpretation.
Court documents indicate prosecutors believe Garrett violated the statute because the firearm was accessible inside the vehicle. Williams, however, says the exemption clearly applies and that the arrest should not have been made. He has pledged to fight the case in Sylvania Municipal Court and is also working with state gun rights groups to pursue legislative changes that could prevent similar prosecutions in the future.
Garrett is currently out on bail but faces up to one year in jail if convicted.
This case highlights the need for consistent enforcement of Ohio’s concealed carry reciprocity law. When lawful permit holders face felony charges for actions that are explicitly protected under the law, it undermines both the intent of reciprocity agreements and the confidence of gun owners who rely on them. Reciprocity has always been a source of confusion, which is exactly why I started USA Carry in 2007—to create a single trusted source for concealed carry laws across the states. Cases like this show just how important it is for lawmakers to remove inconsistencies and make the rules clear so law-abiding citizens are not caught in the middle.
