RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS)- Sheriff’s school resource officers recovered loaded handguns from two vehicles during security checks at separate Rutherford County Schools proms, according to SRO supervisors.

The incidents occurred at La Vergne High School’s prom Saturday at the Fountains at Gateway in Murfreesboro and at Stewarts Creek High School’s prom April 25 at MTSU. In both cases, SROs said the weapons were found in vehicles used to transport students or prom guests to the events.

Trevor Carter, 19, an adult La Vergne High School student, was charged with possession of a weapon at a school function after SRO Beau Kohler found an AR-15 pistol with two loaded magazines in a rental car at the Fountains. Kohler said he was checking vehicles for alcohol as part of the Teen Education and Alcohol Management program when he saw the weapon on the floorboard. A driver’s license inside the car identified Carter as the driver.

SROs Jeremy Gregory and Matt King located Carter inside the prom and brought him to the vehicle. Carter told Kohler the weapon was for protection.

“I asked Trevor why he had the weapon and he told me it was for protection stating, ‘you never know when something could happen, someone could roll up on you anytime, when you're with your mother, anywhere,’ showing intent to be armed,” Kohler said. His mother confirmed she knew the weapon was inside the vehicle.

Carter was released from the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on $2,000 bond. His hearing is scheduled June 2 in General Sessions Court.

A week earlier, SRO Curtis Beane was checking the MTSU parking lot near Stewarts Creek High School’s prom when he saw an open bottle of whiskey on the floorboard of a vehicle. SRO Matt Vaughn located the driver, 18-year-old Deangelo Davis of Nashville, who attended the prom as a guest with a student date.

Davis confirmed he drove the vehicle to the prom and allowed SROs to search it, Beane said. During the search, Beane and Detective Matthew Arrington reported smelling marijuana.

Beane said he recovered a Glock 9mm handgun with one round in the chamber and 18 additional rounds in an extended magazine. Arrington also found a small jar of marijuana.

Davis told Beane the alcohol belonged to his date’s mother.

Davis was charged with carrying a weapon on school grounds and simple possession of marijuana. He was released on $1,500 bond. His hearing is scheduled June 17 in General Sessions Court.