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Shortly after 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, a Massachusetts State Police trooper on patrol in Worcester stopped a motorist on Route 9 when he spotted a white Cadillac SUV without an inspection sticker, authorities said.
According to police, during the stop, it was determined that the driver did not have a valid license, and he was taken out of the SUV for questioning.
During the investigation, police said that one of the passengers in the backseat, Worcester County resident Francisco Vasquez, age 24, of Webster, had an active warrant out for his arrest.
Prior to the Cadillac being towed away from the scene, investigators said that troopers located a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun that was loaded with 14 rounds, and none of the occupants of the SUV had a license to carry a weapon.
The investigation found that Vasquez was allegedly the one who brought the handgun into the vehicle and placed it in the cargo area behind him, police said.
Vasquez was charged with:
- Possession of a firearm without an FID card;
- Possession of ammunition without an FID card;
- Illegal possession of a firearm;
- Possession of a large-capacity feeding device;
- Improper storage of a firearm.
He was released on $500 bail and scheduled for arraignment at Worcester District Court at a later date. The driver was issued a summons and was released at the scene.
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