Drugs, stolen guns found inside Pueblo County storefront

Pueblo County deputies searched a storefront in Bessemer Thursday and found drugs, stolen guns, thousands of rounds of ammo, and cash in the middle of a business district.

The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says detectives were on patrol and saw a man who they knew had an active warrant from El Paso County.

Detectives contacted the man, 43-year-old Phillip W. Key, and found him with two handguns; one of the handguns was stolen, and Key isn’t allowed to possess firearms because he’s a convicted felon.

That led to detectives searching a storefront Key rented at 617 W. Northern Ave. ( MAP ) It’s not clear if an active business was present at that location.

Inside the building, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office found 23 more guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, two ounces of heroin, three-quarters of a pound of meth, and thousands of dollars in cash. The guns ranged from small pistols to long guns, and five in total were reported stolen.

Key faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of weapons by a previous offender, and possession of a dangerous weapon. He was also arrested on the outstanding warrant.

Key was booked into the Pueblo County Jail.