Swampscott man charged with carrying firearm without license

LYNN – A Lynn District Court judge ordered $2,500 cash bail for a Swampscott man police said they found asleep at the wheel and carrying a loaded and unlicensed gun.”(The defendant) stated that he did not have a valid license to carry a firearm and that he was only carrying it for his protection since someone tried to shoot him in Swampscott a couple of days ago,” Lynn Police Officer Michael McHale reported.Gino Branden, 40, of 58 Pine St., Swampscott, was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm without a license; carrying a loaded firearm without a license; and possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card; at 3:05 a.m. Monday.He pleaded not guilty to the charges later that morning in Lynn District Court.Police on patrol Monday morning reported noticing a driver slumped over the wheel in a parked and running car on Tudor Street.Officers awakened Branden and, describing him as confused and with “sluggish” movement, asked him to get out of the car to see if he was impaired, police reported.Although not noticing any odor of alcohol, police also reported seeing several empty liquor bottles in the car.During a pat frisk, officers reportedly found a “Derringer” handgun loaded with two special rounds of .38-caliber bullets.Essex Assistant District Attorney Andrew Boyd requested Branden be held on $10,000 cash bail. Judge Mary McCabe ordered $2,500 cash bail and scheduled Branden to return to court Nov. 19.