WESTBOROUGH – A Worcester man faces charges after police allegedly located firearm and machete in his vehicle after a traffic stop.
Daniel Crespo, 36, has been charged with possession of a firearm without a license, third offense; carrying a dangerous weapon; carrying a loaded firearm without a license; possession of a firearm with a defaced number; possession of a firearm; armed career criminal level 3; possession of a firearm without a card; improper firearm storage; possession of ammunition without a FID card, subsequent offense; negligent operation of a motor vehicle; speeding and no/expired inspection sticker.
On April 4 at about 10:27 p.m., a Westborough officer was on patrol on Turnpike Road when he saw a car driving 78 miles per hour in a 55 zone, according to the statement of facts filed in Westborough District Court.
Before he exited his vehicle, the officer wrote that he saw Crespo drop his right shoulder, and his head went below the steering wheel.
“This sudden and sharp movement caused me to be concerned Daniel was attempting to conceal a weapon, contraband or a means by which he could aid to escape with,” the officer wrote.
The officer ordered Crespo to exit the vehicle, and Crespo told him he was reaching for his phone.
According to the statement of facts, police found a small handgun under the floor mat of the vehicle. Crespo told police that the gun was his, he did not have a FID card and he did not legally own the gun. Court documents note that the magazine was loaded with five rounds of .25 ACP.
Crespo reportedly told police he got the gun off the streets for $500 and had owned it for years.
In the trunk, police said they found a machete that was over two feet long.
While he was being transported to the station, police said that Crespo told them, “I wasn’t going to do anything with the gun. I just had it for my protection.”
The gun was later identified as an Armi Tanfoglio GT 27 .25 ACP. Police wrote that the serial number was defaced.
According to the statement of facts, police later learned that Crespo had been found guilty on two counts of possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition with an FID card, possession of a firearm without a permit as a career criminal, possession of a firearm without a permit and “numerous felonies for which he is on probation for, mostly grand larceny and stolen property.”
In a press release, police said that Crespo was arraigned at Westborough District Court on April 5 and his bail was set at $50,000.
