BOSTON, Feb. 24, 2015—A Roxbury man was arraigned on gun charges yesterday after he drew the attention of Boston Police by speeding past and honking at pedestrians walking in the street, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

TARIQ RUSSELL (D.O.B. 12/2/1978) was arraigned in Roxbury Municipal Court on charges of operating an unregistered motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device, and carrying a loaded firearm. Because of convictions for firearm possession in 1999 and drug distribution in 2009, he was additionally charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as a second offense and being a Level I armed career criminal.  He was civilly cited by Boston Police for speeding, creating a harsh or objectionable noise, and possessing less than an ounce of marijuana.

Assistant District Attorney Caitlyn Fitzgerald requested that bail be set in the amount of $50,000 and that Russell be ordered to remain in Massachusetts and stay away from those present at the time of his arrest in the event that he is released on bail.  Judge David Poole set bail at $30,000 bail and imposed the requested conditions of release.

According to prosecutors, Boston Police in the area of Centre Street shortly before 1:30 a.m. Saturday observed a 1997 BMW sedan operating at a high rate of speed and sounding its horn at pedestrians who had been forced to walk in the street due to snow blocking the sidewalk.

Upon stopping the vehicle, officers observed Russell in the driver’s seat as well as three passengers who were not wearing seatbelts. Officers soon learned that one of these passengers had an open warrant out of Dorchester court for motor vehicle offenses and a kitchen knife in his pocket; he was taken into custody. Another had a rock believed to be crack cocaine in his hand; he was also taken into custody. The third man was released.

While providing his driver’s license with his right hand, officers observed that Russell held in his left hand a small bag of marijuana, prosecutors said.  They also saw him repeatedly place his right thumb in his pants pocket.  Based on their training and experience, officers believed Russell may have been checking on a concealed weapon. In light of this observation and the fact that the vehicle was unregistered and would be towed, the officers ordered Russell out of the vehicle.  As he exited, officers observed a large black bag bulging from Russell’s left coat pocket.

During a pat-frisk, officers recovered a Glock 17 9mm semiautomatic handgun from the right side of Russell’s waistband with 11 rounds of ammunition in a high-capacity feeding device, prosecutors said.  The gun was warm to the touch despite subfreezing temperatures.  Unprovoked, Russell allegedly told police, “Thank God I found that gun, it saved my life tonight.  They were going to kill me.”

The bag from Russell’s coat pocket was found to contain $11,640, much of it in bundles of $1,000 each secured with elastic bands. Russell allegedly denied ownership of the money at the District B-2 station and it was seized as evidence. At arraignment, however, he filed a motion for its return. That motion will be argued at a later date.

Russell is represented by Clarence Dilday.  He will appear in the Suffolk County Gun Court on March 17.

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