Bad Plates Result in Arrests, Two Facing Gun Charges in Pittsfield Massachusetts
A Springfield man and a Pittsfield woman are facing gun charges after a Massachusetts State Trooper spotted bad plates in their vehicle.
Around 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, December 18, Sergeant George Hamilton was on patrol in the City of Pittsfield. Sergeant Hamilton observed a black BMW 535 sedan on Wahconah Street with registration plates that, when run on his cruiser’s mounted laptop, belonged to a 2008 Porsche.
When it was safe to do so, Sergeant Hamilton turned on his blue lights to conduct a stop. The Sergeant made contact with the driver of the BMW and identified him as Shamaun Drayton, 35, of Springfield. Drayton could not produce a driver’s license and handed Sergeant Hamilton unrelated paperwork instead of a valid registration.
Upon the roadside investigation, the BMW was found to be unregistered and Drayton's license status in Massachusetts was suspended, making him subject to arrest. He was removed from the vehicle and placed in the rear of Sergeant Hamilton’s State Police Cruiser.
Sergeant Hamilton returned to the vehicle and spoke with the passenger, Tabitha Stanton, 22, of Pittsfield. When Sergeant Hamilton informed Stanton that the vehicle would be towed at Drayton's request, she grabbed a red bag from the floor and placed it over her shoulder.
During Sergeant Hamilton’s pre-tow vehicle inventory, he located a 9MM Taurus TC111 handgun with a 15 round magazine inserted and a round in the chamber in the glove box of the vehicle.
Neither Stanton nor Drayton possess a license to carry a firearm.
Drayton has multiple prior firearms charges and open firearms cases pending in Hampden County Superior Court.
While conducting a probable cause search of the red bag on Stanton's person, Sergeant Hamilton found an additional magazine loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition among the personal belongings. Drayton and Stanton were placed under arrest.
According to a post from the Massachusetts State Police, Drayton and Stanton were arraigned at Pittsfield District Court on the following charges:
1. Possession of A Large Capacity Feeding Device; and
2. Possession Of Ammunition Without FID Card (DRAYTON – Subsequent Offense).
Additionally, DRAYTON was charged with:
1. Carrying A Loaded Firearm;
2. Possession Of A Large Capacity Feeding Device;
3. 2nd Offense - Carrying A Firearm;
4. Operation Of A Motor Vehicle With Suspended License;
5. Unregistered Motor Vehicle; and
6. Attaching False Registration Plates.
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