REVERE — Two men were arrested and charged with carrying illegal loaded handguns during a motor vehicle stop on Ocean Avenue early Saturday morning.
State Police stopped a 2002 GMC Envoy with New Hampshire plates that had a defective brake light shortly after 1:30 a.m. and found that two of its passengers were in possession of the handguns, state police said.
The State Police trooper checked the female driver for warrants, determined she had none and proceeded to check the two male passengers. The men were also free of arrest warrants, but the trooper found that the backseat passenger, John A. Brown, 27, of Dorchester had not complied with a requirement to register as a sex offender following a 2007 conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child, state police said.
Brown initially refused police commands to get out of the car, and as the trooper told the driver to turn off the ignition, the trooper saw Brown reach toward his waistband, which he believed indicated the suspect was trying to hide something. Brown then got out of the car and was handcuffed, state police said.
The trooper checked the backseat and found a .357 caliber Ruger Speed-Six — every chamber was loaded with a round and a check of the revolver’s serial number revealed that it had been stolen during a 2010 Malden housebreak, state police said.
State and Revere Police removed the front seat passenger, Steven Velasquez, 24, of Boston, from the SUV and found a small black Taurus PT-22 semi-automatic handgun in his waistband during a pat-down. The gun was loaded with seven rounds, and an eighth was in the chamber. The handgun’s serial number was defaced — no numbers or letters were visible, state police said.
Brown was charged with failure to register as a sex offender, unlawful possession of a firearm second offense, carrying a loaded firearm, committing a firearm violation with two prior violent/drug convictions, unlawful possession of ammunition, receiving stolen property and seat belt violation.
Velasquez was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm and defacing a firearm serial number, state police said.
Brown and Velasquez were arraigned in Chelsea District Court on Monday and bail was set for each at $50,000, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.