Early this morning, officers in Mattapan apprehended two men following a routine traffic stop that culminated in the discovery of an illegal firearm. According to police reports, Tyler Powell, 18, of Dorchester, faces multiple charges related to firearm possession after police retrieved a weapon with a defaced serial number from his person.
The incident began when a vehicle was spotted running a red light at the intersection of Bowdoin and Washington Streets, leading to a traffic stop on Harvard Street. As officers carried out the stop, a passenger in the vehicle fled on foot, setting off a chase. The suspect stumbled and was apprehended between parked cars. Despite the suspect's quick capture, he was later released, while the driver, Santoneio Sumerlin, 28, also of Dorchester, was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, as reported by the BPD. Powell's arrest resulted from findings made by officers at the scene.
While the foot chase proceeded, officers on the scene conducted a search of the remaining occupants that led to the recovery of a Smith & Wesson SD40VE handgun from Powell. The weapon was found to contain nine rounds and had an obliterated serial number, complicating efforts to trace its history. The findings escalated the severity of the situation, prompting detectives to arrive and confirm the weapon's illegitimate status.
Powell, now in custody, awaits arraignment at Dorchester District Court. He faces multiple charges, including carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a large-capacity firearm, and defacement of a firearm serial number. Sumerlin is also expected to be arraigned, though his arrest centers on his suspended license.
