Springfield police have apprehended a 36-year-old man, Hector Navarro, following a traffic stop that led to the seizure of an illegal firearm and a significant amount of cocaine. The incident occurred on Monday evening, with police conducting the stop around 8 p.m. near the intersection of Mulberry Street and Maple Street, according to a report from Springfield Police Department's official website.
Navarro was driving a vehicle that had not passed inspection in the vicinity of School Street and High Street. Springfield Police Department's C3 Unit, alongside Squad "C" officers, quickly took action. Upon approaching the vehicle, they noticed an extended firearm magazine in a bag on the driver’s side floorboard. Once additional officers arrived to the scene, Navarro was taken out of his vehicle and the officers found a loaded large capacity Ghost Gun with 17 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, they uncovered an extra magazine with 30 rounds, approximately 80 grams of powder cocaine, and more than $2,200 in cash inside the car.
As a result of the discoveries, Hector Navarro now faces a host of serious charges. These include carrying a firearm without a license, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a large capacity firearm during the commission of a felony. He is also charged with firearm violation with three prior violent/drug crimes, possession of a high-capacity magazine/feeding device, and trafficking 36-100 grams of cocaine.
Navarro's run-in with the law extends beyond mere traffic infractions, highlighting the persisting issues of gun violence and drug trafficking. The Springfield Police Department has credited the keen observations of the C3 officers and Squad "C" with preventing potential violence and drug distribution that could have stemmed from this incident. With charges including possession of ammunition without an FID card and carrying a loaded large capacity firearm on a public way, Navarro's apprehension reveals the challenges law enforcement face in stemming the tide of illegal firearms and narcotics in our communities.
