BOSTON, March 10, 2014— Five men were arraigned today on charges stemming from two separate incidents just hours apart during which police recovered a total of five firearms, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
JAMES EDWARDS (D.O.B. 4/1/91) of Dorchester was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and improper storage of a firearm. JESOR BROWN (D.O.B. 10/27/94) of Dorchester was arraigned on charges of unlawful possession a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession with intent to distribute a class D drug. JESUS GONZALEZ (D.O.B. 11/1/90) of Dorchester was arraigned on a charge of possession with intent to distribute a class D drug. Granting the requests of Assistant District Attorney Amanda Cascione, Judge Rosalind Miller set bail of $10,000 for Edwards, $20,000 for Brown, and $240 for Gonzalez.
According to prosecutors, officers executed a search warrant for the Topliff Street apartment shared by Edwards, Brown, Gonzalez, and others shortly after 7:00 p.m. Friday.
Brown, who was ordered by police to secure a large pit bull that attempted to run out the apartment door as police arrived, appeared to be shaking and concealing part of his body from police as he did so. Based on their training in the characteristics and behavior of armed gunmen, officers believed that Brown may have been armed and conducted a pat frisk that revealed a Star semiautomatic 9mm loaded with seven live rounds of ammunition, prosecutors said.
While executing the search warrant, officers discovered inside Edwards’ bedroom an unloaded Beretta .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun next to a magazine containing seven live rounds of ammunition, prosecutors said. The gun and magazine were stored inside a shopping bag tucked inside a shoe box inside a plastic storage bin in the bedroom closet. Officers also discovered 11 plastic bags containing marijuana, a digital scale, and ripped plastic baggies in a bedroom used by Gonzalez. Finally, a Ruger 22 long rifle and marijuana packaged for sale were found inside the bedroom of another resident of the apartment who was not present at the time.
Also arraigned in Dorchester today were RICKIE THOMPSON (D.O.B. 12/14/84) of Mattapan and LINO COOK (D.O.B. 5/13/91) of Dorchester for gun charges stemming from a second Boston Police investigation.
Thompson was charged with two counts each of unlawful possession of a firearm as a subsequent offense and unlawful possession of ammunition as a subsequent offense, and a single count each of carrying a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm or feeding device, receiving stolen property over $250, failure to stop for police, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop, and speeding. Based on his prior record, Thompson was additionally charged as a Level 1 armed career criminal: He was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court in 2006 on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession with intent to distribute a class D drug. He was convicted in the same court in 2009 on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm, for which he is still on probation. Prosecutors notified the department of probation of Thompson’s arrest.
Cook was arraigned on charges of carrying a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm or feeding device, and two counts each of unlawful possession of a firearm as a subsequent offense and unlawful possession of a firearm as a subsequent offense. Cook was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm in West Roxbury District Court in 2008.
Cascione requested that Thompson’s bail be set in the amount of $150,000 and that he be ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device, remain under house arrest, and stay away and have no contact with his co-defendant in the event that he is released on bail. Cascione requested bail of $75,000 and the same conditions of release for Cook. Miller imposed $100,000 bail for Thompson and $30,000 for Cook.
At approximately 1:30 a.m. Saturday, members of the Boston Police Youth Violence Strike Force attempted to stop a 2004 Ford Explorer for an inspection sticker violation and failure to stop at a stop sign in the area of New England Avenue and Norfolk. The driver, later identified as Thompson, failed to stop and led police on a pursuit, during which Thompson failed to stop at several stop signs and suddenly began to accelerate in the area of Harvard and Radcliffe streets, prosecutors said. At that time, officers observed items being tossed from the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
The vehicle finally came to a stop in the area of Radcliffe and Carmen streets, where officers removed Thompson from the driver’s seat and removed Cook from the rear passenger’s side seat, where the SUV’s window was rolled down, prosecutors said.
A search of the area where officers saw items tossed from the vehicle revealed a sock containing a Beretta .22 caliber handgun. The firearm did not contain a magazine and had scuffs on its wooden handle consistent with impact from hitting the sidewalk, prosecutors said. Officers located the firearm’s magazine on the other side of a retaining wall in front of the same address was found to contain seven live rounds of ammunition. The gun was reported stolen in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 2009.
Officers searching the area also located a Chevy Tracker with the rear window broken. The vehicle’s owner opened the rear of the vehicle, where officers discovered a silver Bryco Arms 9 mm semiautomatic handgun that was partially concealed inside a sock. The vehicle owner told police that the firearm did not belong to her and that the vehicle’s rear window was not broken when she parked it there the evening before.
Officers discovered a small baggie of marijuana in Thomspon’s pants pocket and issued him a civil citation.
Edwards, Brown, and Gonzalez will appear in Suffolk County Gun Court on April 7. Cook and Thompson will appear in Gun Court on April 3.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
