High Bail for Gun Suspect Linked to Mattapan Homicide

BOSTON, Feb. 19, 2013—A Mattapan man was held on high bail today at his arraignment for allegedly possessing a handgun recovered by Boston Police responding to a nearby homicide, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

OSMELL ODENA (D.O.B. 1/25/91) was arraigned at Dorchester District Court today on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm.  Assistant District Attorney Darcy Kofol requested Odena that be held on $100,000 cash bail and that his earlier bail be revoked on an unrelated case charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon.  Kofol additionally requested that Odena be ordered to stay away and have no contact with any witnesses in the case.  Judge Rosalind Miller granted each of the requests.

Boston police officers responding to the scene of a shooting death at 24 Woodruff Way in Mattapan around 2:35 a.m. Sunday spotted a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed in the area and attempted to stop the car.  The driver of the vehicle instead led police on a chase, during which the car failed to stop at two stop signs and passed two other vehicles, prosecutors said.

Once the vehicle finally stopped at the intersection of Donwood Terrace and Ridgeview Avenue, three men fled from the vehicle, prosecutors said.  Two of the men evaded police, but officers were able to arrest Odena and found a revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition, a folding knife, and an iPhone along his path of flight, prosecutors said.  A light snow was falling at the time of the finding and heat emanating from the firearm melted the snowflakes that fell on the weapon, prosecutors said.

Odena was carrying a baggie of marijuana at the time of his arrest and was issued a civil citation, prosecutors said.

Odena was represented by Kelly Porges.  He will return to court March 8.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.