Crime & Safety

Somerville Officers Nab Eight Handguns in Traffic Stop, Say Police

Three men, including an 18-year-old Somerville man, were arrested after police allegedly discovered the handguns.

Somerville police discovered eight handguns, six of them fully loaded, after pulling over a car in a routine traffic stop Sunday, according to an announcement from police.

Police arrested three men—Sherwood Gustave, 37, of Mattapan, Anthony Paulino, 18, of Somerville and Gunter Vital, 47, of Cambridge—as a result of the discovery.

The three men were arraigned in Somerville District Court Tuesday, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's office, and their next court appearance will be Oct. 3 for a probably cause hearing.

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According to the announcement from Somerville police, Officer Robert Hickey was on routine traffic enforcement duty on Sept. 2 at about 4 p.m. when he noticed a 2004 BMW speeding on Medford Street.

Hickey pulled the car over near the intersection of Thurston Street and arrested the driver, Gustave, on the charge of driving with a suspended license, the announcement says.

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When backup officers arrived, they saw an empty pistol holster in the back seat of the car, and a search of the car revealed the handguns, according to the announcement.

Two of the guns were stolen, the announcement says. In all, police allegedly discovered a Walther P22, a Springfield 9 millimeter high capacity handgun, a Taurus .45 high capacity handgun, a Smith & Wesson 9 millimeter high capacity handgun, a Glock 23 40-caliber high capacity handgun, a Taurus .357 Magnum, a Jennings . 22 and a Ruger .38.

According to the district attorney's office, Gustave was charged with four counts of carrying a firearm without a license, four counts of carrying a large capacity firearm, six counts of carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, receiving stolen property, operating with a suspended license and speeding. He was held on $10,000 cash bail.

Vitelo and Paulino were charged with five counts of carrying a firearm without a license, two counts of possessing a large capacity firearm, six counts of carrying a loaded firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, receiving stolen property, according to the district attorney's office.

Vital was held on $25,000 cash bail and Paulino was held on $500 cash bail.


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