In the early hours of a March morning, Springfield police swiftly responded to an emergency call and ended up disarming a man with a checkered past. A "ghost gun" loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition was found in 53-year-old Reginald Faust's bag on Union Street, as captured in a report by the Springfield Police Department.
Initially called to assist an ambulance, the officers were tipped off about Faust's possession of a firearm. Upon their arrival, Faust was found to be carrying the unlicensed weapon. This was not his first brush with the law; his rap sheet includes previous convictions such as Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Armed Robbery. Despite his history, Faust continues to seemingly flout the law, as this incident marked another chapter in his criminal activities.
The charges levied against Faust are significant. Springfield's Police Department lists them as Carrying a Firearm without a License, Possession of Ammunition without an FID Card, Possession of a High-Capacity Magazine/Feeding Device, Carrying a Loaded Large-Capacity Firearm on a Public Way, and Firearm Violation with Three Prior Violent/Drug Crimes. Each charge underscores the potential threat that Faust posed to the community.
Ghost guns have recently become a focal point in the ongoing debate on gun control. These weapons, often assembled from parts and without serial numbers, are difficult for law enforcement to track. The Springfield Police Department's diligence ensured that a potentially lethal weapon was removed from the streets.
