Massachusetts State Troopers Seize Arsenal of Guns, Drugs in OUI Stop
Massachusetts State Troopers made Massachusetts a little bit safer this weekend, taking seven guns off the streets.
This past Saturday Trooper Charles Buckley, assigned to the State Police-Newbury Barracks, responded to the weigh station on Route 95 south in Rowley after witnesses reported a vehicle being operated erratically had pulled into the weigh station. Trooper Buckley located the vehicle, a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander, in a corner of the darkened weigh station and approached the vehicle.
Trooper Buckley spoke to the operator and lone occupant, Stewart Silvestri, 24, of Brookline. While interacting with Silvestri, the Trooper observed a handgun with a 50-round drum magazine in plain sight inside the vehicle. The Trooper then observed another handgun under the driver’s seat. At that time, Trooper Buckley removed Silvestri from the vehicle and secured him for reasons of officer safety while continuing his investigation. Other MSP personnel began responding to assist.
In total, Troopers located seven polymer handguns and one AR-style short-barreled rifle inside the vehicle. Troopers also located 34 magazines, 23 of which were high-capacity magazines. Twenty-three of the magazines were loaded with varying amounts of rounds. Also located in the vehicle were at least 22 various firearm components and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Trooper Buckley determined that Silvestri does not have a license to carry firearms in Massachusetts. Silvestri was transported to State Police-Newbury to be booked on firearms charges.
via MSP Facebook
While there, Trooper Buckley made observations of Silvestri’s behavior that suggested impairment and administered several field sobriety tests to the defendant.
Inside Silvestri’s backpack Troopers located approximately 42 grams of cocaine, 53 suboxone strips, 167 Xanax pills, approximately 15 grams of liquid GHB (a central nervous system depressant), and multiple other types of drugs. Also located in the backpack were several prescription medications.
Silvestri was charged with eight counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, 25 counts of possession of a large-capacity weapon or feeding device, multiple counts of possession of a large-capacity firearm in the commission of a felony and improper storage of a large-capacity firearm, and single counts of possession of a silencer and possession of a firearm while under the influence. Silvestri was also charged with OUI-Drugs and possession of Class A, B, and E narcotics.
Silvestri was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail and held at the barracks over the weekend. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in Newburyport District Court.
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