Earlier this week, 28-year-old Ethan Fitzgerald stepped out on bail concerning firearms charges, only to be caught once again by the authorities with multiple illegal items, including two illegal firearms and a significant amount of drugs. According to an article from Springfield Police Department, investigators confiscated around 534 grams of cocaine, approximately 564 grams of marijuana, about 20 pills of Xanax, five bags of heroin, and over $60,000 in cash from Fitzgerald's apartment on Center Street.
While Fitzgerald was out on $15,000 bail in connection to a previous shooting incident, questions swiftly arise on how financial resources are assessed and considered in light of suspects' release.
Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl C. Clapprood, as reported from Springfield Police Department, expresses the desire to see a reevaluation of how judges decide bail amounts in cases where a suspect's resources could fuel their criminal actions. She hopes that this third firearms arrest will lead to the revocation of Fitzgerald's previous bail and keep him in custody until his cases reach a resolution.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno reiterates similar sentiments, highlighting the collaborative success of multiple public safety agencies responsible for the apprehension of Fitzgerald. However, Sarno also underscores that the same story repeats itself: offenders who have the capacity to quickly post bail due to surplus sums of illegal income are free to walk the streets and pose a threat to the community.
Fitzgerald now faces 13 fresh charges, including possession of a firearm without an FID Card, possession of a large-capacity firearm during the commission of a felony, and cocaine trafficking, according to the Springfield Police Department. Previously, Fitzgerald was convicted in 2018 for carrying a firearm without a license.
