Prison for Lynn man on firearms, drug charges

SALEM – A Lynn man who pleaded guilty last week to illegal firearm and cocaine charges dating back to 2008 was sentenced to five to eight years in state prison to be followed by five years of probation.Steeven P. Charles, 27, of 51 Arlington St., pleaded guilty last week before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley in Salem Superior Court to carrying a firearm without a license, illegal possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm, trafficking over 14 grams of cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm having one prior drug conviction.Sentencing had been delayed until Monday morning in order for Charles to have time to spend with his family. He had been free on bail.The charges arise out of his arrest on the night of Feb. 8, 2008. It was around 9 p.m. on Tremont Street, when police observed a Dodge Durango with defective equipment being driven by Charles, who they suspected did not have a license to drive.After activating their lights, police pulled the Dodge over on South Elm Street. Inside the vehicle, authorities seized a loaded .25 caliber Raven semi-automatic handgun with ammunition in the vehicle as well as 24.4 grams of cocaine found on his person.His brother, Junior Charles, 32, also of Lynn, who was a passenger in the car, was also arrested and charged with possession of illegal firearms.In asking the judge to accept the plea negotiated, Assistant District Attorney Michael Sheehan said it was based on the facts and that marijuana was also found in the car.Defense lawyer John Apruzzese said the plea negotiations were the result of negotiations over several months, telling Feeley that it is “a fair sentence disposition” to the case.While on probation, Steeven Charles will be evaluated for substance abuse with treatment and counseling as deemed necessary, random screens and was ordered by Feeley not to possess or use non-prescribed substances while being supervised.The judge credited Charles 129 days already served while in lieu of bail awaiting trial on the case.Sheehan also told Feeley Monday that he was dropping all the charges against Junior Charles, who has been free on bail, in the “interest of justice, given the nature and circumstances left in the case.”