A late-night traffic stop in Roslindale ended with Boston officers pulling a Glock 29 modified for fully automatic fire out of a teenager’s waistband, according to police.
Boston police say members of the Youth Violence Strike Force stopped a car near 435 Hyde Park Avenue on Tuesday night as part of a firearms investigation. During the encounter, officers say the rear passenger kept his arm pinned to his waistband, which raised suspicions. A pat frisk followed, and officers report finding the pistol tucked into his waistband.
The 19-year-old Dorchester man was arrested at the scene and is expected to face weapons charges in West Roxbury District Court.
Police Outline The Stop And Recovery
In a post on Facebook, the Boston Police Department says officers with the Youth Violence Strike Force were conducting a firearms investigation in the area of Hyde Park Avenue when they spotted a vehicle with two occupants and followed it into a parking lot.
According to that account, officers conducted a pat frisk of the rear passenger and recovered a Glock 29 from his waistband. Police say the pistol was loaded with one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the magazine.
The post adds that the handgun had “a switch attached to the rear slide that makes it fully automatic” and identifies the passenger as Andre Vega, 19, of Dorchester. He was charged with possession of a loaded machine gun, possession of a machine gun, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without an FID card.
Legal Stakes
Machine guns and the small switches that can turn semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons sit in some of the most tightly controlled corners of Massachusetts firearms law. Possessing one without the right paperwork is not a technicality, it is the kind of charge that can carry serious penalties.
As outlined by Mass.gov, state statutes and court guidelines define machine guns within the firearms code, spell out how such weapons are prosecuted and govern when courts can order people to surrender guns, ammunition and licenses.
How This Fits A Pattern
This is not the first time Boston officers have reported finding a handgun that has been illegally converted to fire like a machine gun. In recent years, police and local reporting have highlighted a run of pistols fitted with selector switches or other conversion devices across the city, prompting targeted patrols by specialized units such as the Youth Violence Strike Force.
In June 2024, for example, officers in Dorchester recovered a Glock fitted with what was described as a “Syr-switch” that converted the pistol to fully automatic fire, according to The Boston Globe. Boston police press releases have also documented previous Glock recoveries during traffic stops involving the Youth Violence Strike Force.
What’s Next
Vega is expected to be arraigned in West Roxbury District Court, where the formal charges, bail arguments and any conditions of release will be spelled out in the court record.
Additional details, including any filings or statements from prosecutors or defense counsel, are likely to emerge as the case moves forward. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
