In a significant crackdown on illegal arms, Springfield Police apprehended four individuals while seizing three unauthorized firearms, including a potent AR-15. The operation was conducted by the department's Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU) under Sergeant David Robillard, according to a press release on the Springfield Police Department's website.

Police were watching the area Friday afternoon, April 19, when they spotted a juvenile known to them driving away. Despite having a suspended license, the 17-year-old, who cannot be named, would later be arrested for driving a stolen vehicle. After the arrest, which unfolded on the 100 block of King Street, a surveillance operation led to a stop near Alderman and Pomona Streets, where three accomplices were found in possession of the firearms.

The scrutiny intensified when Alize Marcano, observed entering the initial suspect's residence, exited swiftly with a large duffel bag that was stowed in a car trunk. Officers pulled the vehicle over and discovered two illegal firearms within the bag, along with an AR-15. Another illicit gun was found under the seat occupied by 21-year-old Cristian Vazquez.

Vazquez, along with 37-year-old Marilee Nunez and 21-year-old Alize Marcano, face multiple charges linked to the unlawful handling and possession of firearms. According to the Springfield Police Department's report, the accusations leveled against them included the carriage of firearms without a license and the possession of ammunition without the correct identification card. The driver, identified as Nunez, also faces additional charges related to the improper storage of a firearm.

The precise charges for Vazquez encapsulate three counts of carrying a firearm without a license, two counts of carrying a loaded large capacity firearm, and the unlicensed possession of an assault weapon. Nunez and Marcano are similarly charged, although the 17-year-old remains unnamed and uncharged in public records due to his age.