Lynn man arrested on gun charges; bail set at $50G

LYNN – A city man who police and a prosecutor said tried to woo a woman at a party by showing her his handgun was ordered held Monday on $50,000 cash bail and a potential probation violation.”Inside the house a witness told police the defendant had shown the gun in an attempt to impress her,” Assistant District Attorney Danielle Doherty-Wirwicz said in Lynn District Court Monday.Joel Derivois Jr., 28, of 334A Western Ave. #5, was arrested and charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license; and a felon in possession of a firearm; at 5:44 a.m. Sunday.A plea of not guilty was entered on Derivois’ behalf at his arraignment in Lynn District Court Monday.Lynn Police responded at approximately 5 a.m. Sunday to a party at 70 Timson St. on the report of a person in the driveway waving a gun, Doherty-Wirwicz told the court. (She noted police had responded earlier to the address and arrested a partier for disorderly conduct.)Police found Derivois and another man outside the residence and checked each for weapons, Doherty-Wirwicz said. Derivois had a 9-millimeter handgun with a magazine and a round in the chamber tucked into his waistband, Doherty-Wirwicz said. Derivois told police he didn’t have a gun license and was arrested, according to a report by Lynn Police Officer Benjamin Chez.Inside the home, two witnesses told police that Derivois was “a straggler” from the party and was “hitting on” one of the women, according to a report by Lynn Police Sgt. Michael Kmiec. At one point Derivois lifted up his shirt to show one of the women the gun, both women told police.Doherty-Wirwicz said Derivois had received a two-year suspended sentence for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and had a drug-trafficking charge from South Carolina. She requested $50,000 cash bail.Probation Officer William Norcross also requested Derivois be detained for a potential probation violation.Public Defender Alicia Andrews said that request was “excessive” and there was nothing on Derivois’ Massachusetts record that would lead to the charge as a felon in possession of a firearm. She requested $1,000 cash bail.”Looking at his record and the facts of this case, I don’t think $50,000 is excessive,” Lynn District Court Judge James LaMothe said after reading the file. He then added that Derivois was “also detained on the probation matter.”Derivois is scheduled to return to court Aug. 8.Outside the courtroom, Derivois’ friend Joe Singleton said Derivois was involved in the community, running free car washes for the neighborhood. Singleton said he “never thought (Derivois) had even held a gun.””He’s a good kid, but he lives in a bad neighborhood,” Singleton said.Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected].