SWAMPSCOTT — David Sill, of Swampscott, was arrested Friday after police found an untraceable firearm, a high-capacity magazine, and an explosive device in his home at 32 Rock Ave., Swampscott police reported.
The Swampscott Police Department said the Rowley Police Department alerted it to the location after a witness reported an incident allegedly involving Sill and a handgun.
Police said the witness described Sill’s alleged weapon as a “ghost gun,” a weapon that lacks the required serial numbers, making it untraceable.
During execution of a search warrant, a K9 from the Topsfield Police Department trained to detect gun parts and ammunition led authorities to a safe that contained a 9mm semi-automatic handgun that did not have serial numbers imprinted on any of its parts.
The safe also contained 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a 15-round 9mm magazine (exceeding the legal 10-round capacity limit), and an explosive that Swampscott Police Chief Ruben Quesada said “could do some real damage.”
Upon discovery of the explosive, the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad responded to the scene to collect it.
The evidence allowed authorities to apply for and gain an arrest warrant for Sill, who was located and arrested by the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (MSP VFAS).
Sill was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a high-capacity feeding device, and possession of an explosive destructive device. He will be arraigned in Lynn District Court Monday, April 24.
In a written statement, the Swampscott Police Department thanked the Office of Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, Rowley police, Topsfield police, the MSP Bomb Squad, and the MSP VFAS Unit for their assistance in Sill’s arrest.
“This is a testament to their perseverance — ensuring that we’re doing everything we can to keep our community safe. It’s always alarming when something like this happens, and we can’t ever say that it won’t happen to our town. We always have to be cautious to do everything that we can to keep our community safe,” Quesada said in an interview Sunday.
