BOSTON, June 18, 2015—An accused armed career criminal who fled from police during a routine traffic stop was arraigned this week on firearm charges, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

DWAYNE WILLIAMS, Jr. (D.O.B. 7/18/85), who provided the address of a Boston homeless shelter as his residence, was arraigned Monday in Dorchester Municipal Court on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm as a subsequent offense, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a large capacity feeding device, carrying a dangerous weapon, and being a Level 3 armed career criminal.  Assistant District Attorney William Kettlewell requested bail of $100,000 and orders that Williams wear a GPS monitor and remain on home confinement in the event he is released on bail.  Judge Thomas Kaplanes set bail at $50,000 and imposed the requested conditions of release.

Prosecutors told the court that Williams has prior convictions for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in 2006, drug distribution offenses 2007 and 2011, and firearm offenses in 2005 and 2011.

Boston Police pulled over a vehicle operating with a broken brake light and no inspection sticker in the area of 130 Woodrow Ave. shortly before 2:00 a.m. Monday.  Upon approaching the vehicle, officers noticed the rear seat passenger, later identified as Williams, lean toward the front of the car and then quickly return to his seat.  He provided officers with no explanation for the action when asked, prosecutors said.

Officers observed an open bottle of Grey Goose vodka in a handbag on the floor of the car and asked if there were any other open containers of alcohol in the vehicle, prompting Williams to begin breathing rapidly and moving his hands anxiously. 

When asked to step out of the vehicle, Williams complied and then fled on foot.  As he ran, officers observed Williams reach toward his waist in an apparent attempt to remove an object from his waistband.  He allegedly tossed the item as he slowed near a Woodrow Avenue residence.  He was apprehended on Woolaston Terrace.

Upon searching the area where officers observed Williams toss the object, police located a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition in a high-capacity magazine.  Williams was found to be in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and a switchblade knife.

The driver and front seat passenger of the vehicle Williams fled remained at the scene of the traffic stop.  When police returned to the site, they located a puddle that smelled of alcohol outside the vehicle that had not previously been there; however, neither occupant admitted to disposing of the open bottle of vodka.  The driver was cited for operating with a broken brake light and having an open container of alcohol, while her passenger was cited for failure to wear a seatbelt.

Williams was represented by Scott Lauer.  He will appear in the Suffolk County Gun Court July 13.

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