The Springfield Police Department received information about a man selling drugs in the North End by the Hampden County Narcotics Task Force & Violent Offenders Task Force on Tuesday, May 11.
Officers located the suspect, later identified as Springfield resident Manuel Ortiz, near the intersection of Main Street and Waverly Street at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday in the North End.
Investigators were able to track down Ortiz, stopped him, at which point they seized a large-capacity “ghost gun” that was inside the waistband of his pants. At the time of his arrest, Ortiz was also found in possession of 18 bags of heroin and 7 rocks of crack cocaine.
Ortiz, age 38, was charged with:
- Carrying a loaded large-capacity firearm on a public way;
- Firearm violation with three prior violent/drug crimes;
- Possession of a large-capacity firearm during the commission of a felony;
- Carrying a firearm without a license;
- Possession with the intent to distribute a Class A drug with a previous offense;
- Possession with the intent to distribute a Class B drug with a previous offense.
No return court date has been announced for Ortiz.
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