BOSTON, Jan. 10, 2013—A Roxbury man with a history of violent offenses was held on high bail yesterday after he was arrested with crack cocaine and a handgun with an obliterated serial number during a traffic stop, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

SILAS RANKINS (D.O.B. 11/27/79) was arraigned in Roxbury District Court after his arrest early yesterday on charges of carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a Class B substance, and resisting arrest. Rankins, who has prior convictions for armed assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in 2001 and for firearm possession in 1999 and 2000, was additionally charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm as a third offense and as a Level II armed career criminal.

He was also cited for a seatbelt violation.

“This defendant was carrying a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and the safety off,” Conley said. “There’s no telling what the arresting officers prevented when they made this arrest.”

Prosecutors requested Rankins be held on $100,000 bail and wear a GPS monitoring device if he were to make bail. Judge Franco Gobourne set bail at $10,000 and denied the request for GPS monitoring.

Around 3:00 yesterday morning, officers performed a traffic stop on Howland Street after witnessing the driver of a Volvo speeding, crossing the center line while making a wide turn, and failing to use a turn signal, prosecutors said. While approaching the vehicle, police saw the front seat passenger – later identified as Rankins – making movements in which he dipped down and then moved his body back. They then saw him quickly moving his hand away from his waist as police appeared at the car’s window, according to prosecutors. In light of their training and experience, the officers believed that he may have concealed a weapon in his waistband.

According to prosecutors, police discovered a baggie of suspected crack cocaine on Rankins during a pat frisk, and Rankins tried to move away from police and swung his arms as officers attempted to handcuff him. During a further search, a blue Cobra .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun fell out of Rankins’ right pant leg. The weapon was loaded with five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, prosecutors said, and the safety was off, ready to fire. Rankins could not provide a license to carry the handgun and later allegedly made statements that he had found it in a field near Woodledge Street.

The driver of the car, DWAYNE ROCKER (D.O.B 2/17/92) was bloodshot, unsteady on his feet, and smelled of alcohol. He failed a series of field sobriety tests and later blew a .02% on a Breathalyzer – over the legal limit for a driver under the age of 21. He will be summonsed to court at a later date.

Rankins was represented by Sandra C. Odiaga. He will return to court on Feb. 8.

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